Lahore, Jan 17: Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid squandered a golden chance of breaking the world record opening partnership as the weather-hit first cricket Test match between India and Pakistan predictably ended in a tame draw here today.

Only 14 balls were possible on a rain-truncated final day which turned out to be all the more heart-breaking for India as their opening pair missed breaking the 50-year-old record by just four runs with Sehwag being dismissed for 254 and the team total reading 410.

The dismissal of the swashbuckling Delhi batsman meant that Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy's record of 413 established against New Zealand in Chennai in 1955-56 remained intact.

The Indians were 410 for one in reply to Pakistan's 679 for seven declared when play was finally called off due to bad light. Rahul Dravid remained unbeaten on 128 while V V S Laxman, who faced just a couple of balls, could not open his account.

Only eight wickets fell during the course of the match while over 1,000 runs were scored on a placid track at the Gaddafi stadium which has come in for heavy flak from various quarters.

The two teams will now travel to Faisalabad for the second Test beginning on January 21.

The partnership of 410 in 76.5 overs by Sehwag and Dravid was the tenth-best for all wickets in Test history and only the eleventh plus-400 stand ever.

The highest for any wicket stands at 576 for the second wicket between Roshan Mananama and Sanath Jayasuriya at Colombo in 1997.

Dravid and new batsman Laxman faced further three balls without adding any run before appealing for light which was indeed poor when play started four hours late. It was upheld and the players walked off the field in murky light and tea was taken.

But play was later called off without any more balls being bowled. Only 14 balls were bowled in all on the rain and bad light marred final day.

Dravid remained unbeaten on 128 after having batted for 332 minutes and faced 233 balls. He struck 19 fours and did not add any run today to his overnight score.

A total of 928 minutes of play was possible in the five days during which 220.5 overs were bowled. (Agencies)