PTI
 
Mumbai, Apr 9: Pakistan’s number one Aisam Qureshi pounded in 21 aces to subdue India’s Prakash Amritraj and bring the visitors on level terms at 2-2 after the first reverse singles in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group I play-off tie here today.

Qureshi took on-court medical attention for cramps but quelled a strong fight-back from his prodigal Indian rival, who committed as many as 12 double faults, to carve out a convincing 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and 35 minutes.

Captain Leander Paes was to take on Aqeel Khan in the deciding fifth rubber that was to follow.

Qureshi, who had beaten number two Rohan Bopanna in three sets on the opening day, broke Amritraj’s serve twice - in the third and firth games - to clinch the first set in 34 minutes.

He then broke his Amritraj’s serve once in the third game to win the second set in 35 minutes and take a commanding 2-0 lead.

But the error-prown Indian, ranked 235 as compared to his rival’s 416, came storming back to win the third set with a lone service break in the sixth game in 32 minutes.

Amritraj looked well in control when he broke Qureshi’s strong serve in the opening game of the fourth set, but squandered that advantage with some loose play which allowed his Paki rival to hit back with a break-back in the second game and then lost his serve again in the fourth to trail 1-3.

At this stage Qureshi, behind 0-15 in the fifth, suffered a bout of cramps which seemed to have restricted his movement considerably but he hung in there break the Indian’s serve once more in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead.

The Pakistani then closed out the set and the match by pounding his last two serves in with renewed vigour to take the rubber.