No moral victory for Pakistan, says Kumble

Indian skipper Anil Kumble today said that Pakistan team has not gained a moral victory ahead of the third and the final Test match in Bangalore after the visitors managed to draw the Kolkata Test on Tuesday.

Kolkata, Dec 4 : Indian skipper Anil Kumble today said that Pakistan team has not gained a moral victory ahead of the third and the final Test match in Bangalore after the visitors managed to draw the Kolkata Test on Tuesday.

Speaking at a post match press conference, Kumble said, "I don't believe in moral victories. It's really crazy, I don't know why people talk about moral victories."

"When you struggle to pick up five wickets in both innings, that's no moral victory to me. To me what matters is the result and I think overall we dominated the match over the five days," Cricinfo added him, as saying.

Pakistan has a glimmer of hope for levelling the Test series against India in Bangalore. A belligerent, yet watchful century by stand-in skipper Younis Khan ensured a draw between Pakistan and India on the fifth and final day of the second Test played at the Eden Gardens here.

Chasing 345-run target for a possible win, Pakistan was initially pegged back by India's bowlers, and was at one time precariously placed at 78 for four. With defeat staring them in the face, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf staged a remarkable rearguard fight back that left hosts India rueing the possibility of not having declared earlier.

Younis, standing in as captain for the injured Shoaib Malik, hit his 15th Test hundred and fifth against India. Mohammad Yousuf scored an unbeaten 44 with six boundaries. The pair added 136 for the fifth wicket, and returned unconquered to the pavilion to the applause of the their teammates and their rivals.

Both captains -- Anil Kumble and Younis Khan called it a day at 214 for 4 with half an hour of play left.

Pakistan scored 214 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in Yasir Hamid, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt and Misbah-ul-Haq, who had scored century in the first innings.

Kumble took two wickets in the second innings and Munaf Patel one.

Earlier in the day, India added 43 runs to their overnight score before declaring at 184 for four with the dismissals of Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Wasim Jaffer, who scored a double century in the first innings of the match, was adjudged the Man of the Match.

ANI