India dominate day one in Pakistan
MULTAN, Pakistan (Reuters) -- Virender Sehwag cracked his maiden test double-century to give India firm control in their first test on Pakistani soil in over 14 years.
The 25-year-old hammered an explosive unbeaten 228, including 30 fours and five towering sixes as India ended the opening day on a mammoth 356 for two after stand-in skipper Rahul Dravid elected to bat on a flat wicket.
Sehwag's score was the highest by an Indian batsman against Pakistan, beating Sanjay Manjrekar's 218 at Lahore in 1989-90.
His own previous best was 195 against Australia in the third test in Melbourne last year.
Sehwag said his target for the second day was to reach 300, something no Indian batsman has ever managed with Vangipurappu Laxman's 281 against Australia at Calcutta in 2001 standing as the national record.
"I have in mind that no Indian batsmen has scored a triple-hundred," said Sehwag.
"When we resume on the second day I want to go on to make a triple-century. This is my best innings ever.
"I wanted to bat through the day because I think if we can score over 600 runs we can put Pakistan under pressure even though the pitch has nothing for the bowlers."
He shared in a 160-run opening stand with Aakash Chopra (42) and added an unbroken 183 for the third wicket with Sachin Tendulkar, who struck a 144-ball 60 not out.
Sehwag played his natural attacking game, punishing the much-vaunted pace battery of Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami and Shabbir Ahmed, who were guilty of bowling short and wide.
He got into his stride in the second over, clipping paceman Sami for four through the on-side.
He then steered Akhtar behind point for another boundary before cutting Shabbir over third man for a six.
Chances dropped
However, Sehwag was lucky on 68 when was dropped by Sami against off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, and again on 77 when Saqlain failed to hold on to a difficult chance at mid-on off Shoaib.
Chopra, playing sedately, struck only five fours in his 121-ball knock before he was out, lobbing a simple bat-pad catch to Imran Farhat at forward short-leg off Saqlain.
Dravid fell for six, caught at square-leg by Yasir Hameed while trying to pull Sami.
But there was nothing else to cheer for the Pakistani bowlers as Sehwag brought up his sixth test century, off 107 balls, cutting Shabbir over third-man for six.
Tendulkar was content to play the supporting role, keeping the scoreboard ticking over with his deft nudges and pushes, but not averse to punishing the bad balls.
Sehwag had a nervous 10-ball stay on 199 before bringing up his 200 with a quick couple to fine-leg.
Tendulkar, the only current Indian player to have played test cricket in Pakistan before when he made his debut as a 16-year-old in 1989-90, brought up his 72nd test 50 off 112 balls.
The crowd, however, was surprisingly sparse -- only 5,000 in the 25,600-capacity stadium -- despite it being a holiday.
India are without regular captain Ganguly, who sustained a back injury during the final one-day international on Wednesday, which India won by 40 runs to clinch the series 3-2.
In 2000, the Indian government had banned all cricket against Pakistan, except at tournaments, but relations have improved since last year.
