Indian players pose with the trophy during the presentation ceremony in Bangalore yesterday. India won the three-match series against Pakistan 1-0. - Reuters

BANGALORE, India (Reuters):

BAD LIGHT helped Pakistan hold on for a draw as India captain Anil Kumble threatened to pull his side to victory with a burst of wickets on the last day of the third and final Test yesterday.

Leg-spinner Kumble took five for 60 off 14 overs after setting Pakistan an unlikely victory target of 374 from 48 overs, but the light intervened with the tourists clinging on at 167 for seven.

India won the series 1-0 after winning the opening game by six wickets in New Delhi. The second Test in Kolkata was drawn.

It was their first series win against Pakistan at home since 1979-80.

Kumble may rue his decision to delay the declaration until an hour before tea.

Saurav Ganguly made 91 before Dinesh Karthik's 52 off 67 balls ended Pakistan's hopes of a series-levelling victory as India closed their second innings at 284 for six.

Kumble, leading in his first Test series, dismissed opener Yasir Hameed (39) and stand-in captain Younis Khan for nought in the space of three balls, in his home city, to stun Pakistan.

Put under pressure

The tall legspinner then had opener Salman Butt caught behind for a dour 58-ball eight to put the visitors under pressure.

Faisal Iqbal (51) and in-form Misbah-ul-Haq (37) kept India at bay with a 71-run fourth-wicket stand before wickets fell in a heap.

Kumble had Iqbal miscue a pull to mid-on and Kamran Akmal was bowled off the very next ball in an unplayable spell.

Part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh joined in the act when he dismissed Misbah and debutant Yasir Arafat in successive overs.

Cheered on by screaming crowds, part-time spinner Yuvraj had Misbah and debutant Yasir Arafat (0) bowled off successive overs before the fading light ended hopes of a victory.

Earlier, Ganguly, playing his 99th Test, missed a rare double hundred and a century in a match when he flashed at fast bowler Mohammad Sami and Iqbal took the catch at gully after India had resumed on 131 for two

Collapse

Ganguly fell in the middle of a collapse when pacer Mohammad Sami struck twice after leg-spinner Danish Kaneria trapped Rahul Dravid lbw for 42.

Ganguly, who scored a century in the drawn second Test in Kolkata, also passed 1,000 runs for the calendar year.

Sami had Yuvraj edge to the wicketkeeper for two. But Karthik shared in a 100-run stand for the sixth-wicket, first with Vangipurappu Laxman (14 ret. hurt) and subsequently Irfan Pathan (21 not out).

Karthik, who hit Kaneria for a six and two fours in an over, smashed eight fours and a six in total before edging pacer Yasir Arafat behind to prompt the declaration.

The series win completed a double for India, who won the one-day rubber 3-2.