Dubai: Pakistan, who lost five wickets to a nagging Sri Lankan bowling attack, were still trailing by 291 runs at dinner break on the third day of the second Test match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Except for a fighting knock of 59 runs from Azhar Ali and his 71-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Haris Sohail (38 batting), Pakistan has been forced on the back foot all the way. With skipper Sarfraz Ahmad joining Sohail, it is now up to Pakistan’s last recognised pair. The wily Rangana Herath has already bagged two wickets for 45 runs from his 16 overs and looks good for more.
Pakistan, resuming from their overnight score of 51 for no loss, lost their first wicket after adding 10 more runs in the first 20 minutes of play. Sri Lanka’s debutant medium pacer Lahiru Gamage bagged his first Test wicket with a beautiful delivery to Shan Masood that pitched on off and got it to nip back and hit the stumps. Masood paid the price for going in for a drive away from the body and getting a thin inside edge to end his 72 ball stay at the wicket for just 16 runs.
Opener Sami Aslam, who was shaping up for a long innings, fell to off spinner Dilruwan Perera’s delivery. He too had stayed at the wicket for 71 balls and scored 39 runs when Perera beat him with a delivery that skid in to hit his pads. Aslam had wanted to play the ball towards midwicket but missed it and was caught plumb in front of the wicket. Still, Aslam reviewed the decision and wasted a review for Pakistan. His stroke was a demonstration of how not to play at such a delivery and also on not to ask for a review after playing a very poor shot.
With both the openers back in the pavilion for 65 runs, chasing the huge Sri Lankan total of 482 fell on an out-of-form Asad Shafiq. He unfortunately got a beauty of a delivery from Suranga Lakmal. It was a treat to watch him trap Shafiq for 12. After making two deliveries to move into the batsman, he moved the third away from the batsman and take Shafiq’s outside edge. Kusal Mendis at widish slip took the catch low and inches off the ground.
Much was expected from young Babar Azam but he played a shot which stunned everyone. Instead of playing carefully the dangerous Herath who had destroyed them in the first Test, he went back and whipped the ball in the air to Sadeera Samarawickrama at midwicket for just eight runs.
With Pakistan having lost four wickets for 109 runs the onus of lifting their team from further trouble fell on Azhar and Sohail. They played cautiously. Azhar hit Gamage through the covers for a boundary. He went on to sweep Perera for another boundary to deep square leg. Twice, when Herath tossed the ball up, Azhar picked two boundaries driving elegantly through the covers. He reached his 27th half century in 114 balls.
Left-handed Sohail began slowly but started to stroke comfortably. He hit Herath for his first six in the 45th over long on and another six in the 55th over after stepping down the track.
Ten minutes before dinner break, Herath trapped Azhar leg before for 59 to end the 71 runs stubborn partnership with Sohail. Sri Lankans were delighted that they won the review after Herath’s slider had hit Azhar’s pad. Though Azhar played an elegant knock, he played the wrong line to this delivery. As the ball kept low and umpire denied their appeal, Sri Lankans used the only review left for them and won a favourable decision.
