Saud Shakeel cracks second Test century to offer Pakistan first-innings lead
Lunch Pakistan 313 for six (Shakeel 119*, Agha 83, Noman 13*, Jayasuriya 3-110, Ramesh 2-93) lead Sri Lanka 312 (Dhananjaya 122, Mathews 64, Abrar 3-68, Afridi 3-86, Naseem 3-90) by one run
Sri Lanka pulled again the scoring charge within the final hour of the morning session, however Pakistan remained within the ascendancy as Saud Shakeel, with a second Test century within the bag, reworked the in a single day deficit of 91 to a one-run lead. At the break, Shakeel was unbeaten on 119 with Noman Ali for firm on 13.
Things may need been worse for Sri Lanka had Agha Salman not gifted his wicket away on the tail finish of a dominant first hour, one thing which led to the extra subdued closing hour. Overnight rain and a moist outfield meant the beginning of play was delayed by an hour, however Shakeel and Agha did their finest to make up for any misplaced time, taking the assault to the Sri Lankan bowlers from the get-go.
Despite this being a third-day observe in Galle, the persistent rain had meant that any activate provide was of the gradual selection. But such was the intent proven by Shakeel and Agha, you observed much more prodigious flip would have been handled in comparable method.
Of the 2, Shakeel was the extra proactive, unafraid to make use of his ft be it to the seamers or spinners. Against Kasun Rajitha he regularly walked down the observe, exterior the road of off stump, to work the ball both aspect of the wicket. Against Prabath Jayasuriya, he used the depth of the crease to nice impact to information the ball behind sq. on both aspect; in any other case, his sound defensive method ensured that something fuller was saved out with ease.
Agha, on the different finish, whereas much less adventurous with using his ft, nonetheless managed to rotate strike with equal ease. He additionally discovered boundaries when wanted, notably a pair off Rajitha – the primary a late reduce between gully and slip, after which a drive on the up via the covers.
It was solely a second of transient hubris that gave Sri Lanka their sole breakthrough, with Agha charging Ramesh Mendis, just for the offspinner to tear one via bat and pad after the batter had failed to achieve the pitch of the supply. Sadeera Samarawickrama behind the stumps accomplished a routine stumping.
The partnership between Agha and Shakeel yielded 177 runs, scored at 4.96 runs per over. Since the autumn of Agha’s wicket, Pakistan have scored at a significantly slower 2.5 per over.
Sri Lanka must have gotten yet one more earlier than the break, however didn’t assessment a lbw name towards Noman that was given not out, however was proven to be crashing into leg. They reviewed one an over later – maybe in anger after the massive display screen confirmed the earlier missed alternative – however this one had Noman gloving it. This meant that Sri Lanka will now need to seek for the remaining Pakistan wickets with out the luxurious of DRS at their disposal.