India's Virender Sehwag was four runs short of his 11th Test century after India made 145 without loss in reply to Pakistan's 679 for seven on a weather-affected third day of the first Test against Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday.
Sehwag was in prime form after resuming on 36, hitting 20 fours in his 89 balls. Captain Rahul Dravid was 37 from 84 balls as bad light and overcast conditions allowed only 15 overs and 72 minutes of play in the day.
India were 348 runs short of avoiding the follow-on when umpires Darrell Hair and Rudi Koertzen called off play after tea with the conditions getting bleaker.
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq admitted that it would now be difficult to force a result on a pitch which has played flat with precious little movement or turn for the bowlers.
"The third day's play was very important for us, unfortunately one can't do anything about the weather," he said.
Sehwag and Dravid resumed the innings on 65 after a 45-minute delay to the start of play and never looked in any trouble against Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved who extracted pace but could not deviate the ball at all.
The 27-year-old Sehwag followed in the footsteps of the Pakistani batsmen who scored four hundreds in their innings, playing some ferocious shots on both sides of the wicket.
He required just 13 more balls to race to his 11th Test fifty which spanned a total of 48 balls with 11 fours.
Avoiding a heavy dose of short-pitched bowling from Shoaib and Naved, Sehwag's timing was exquisite as the Indians cruised past the 100 runs mark and reached 132 at the early lunch when play was halted again.
Only three overs were possible after lunch in which Sehwag took the opportunity to strike three more fours as Dravid in contrast remained patient and stout in defence.
Sehwag who has scored three previous hundreds against Pakistan in six Tests was unworried even when Inzamam introduced leg spinner Danish Kaneria who could bowl just two overs in the time possible.
