ABU DHABI – Azhar Ali as soon as extra rescued Pakistan’s batting with a preventing half century on the third day of the primary Take a look at towards Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The one-drop batsman was unbeaten on 74 however noticed Babar Azam fell for 28 within the final over of the day as Pakistan completed on 266-Four on a Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch which has began to help spinners.
Pakistan nonetheless path the Sri Lankan first innings complete of 419 by 153 runs with six wickets intact. Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Ali within the put up Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq period who retired in Could this 12 months after shouldering workforce’s batting for almost seven years.
A cautious Ali made certain Pakistan don’t concede a giant lead within the first innings, having hit just one boundary in his 26th Take a look at half century. In all Ali has up to now hit three boundaries throughout his 297 minutes of batting. He added 79 for the third wicket with Asad Shafiq who made 39 to take the figth to Sri Lankan three-pronged spin assault.
Veteran left-arm spinner Herath was probably the most profitable bowler with 2-47. When on 32, Ali additionally accomplished 5,000 Take a look at runs in his 61st Take a look at. He turned the eighth Pakistan batsmen behind Younis Khan (10,099), Javed Miandad (8832) Inzamam-ul-Haq (8829), Mohammad Yousuf (7530), Salim Malik (5768), Misbah (5222) and Zaheer Abbas (5062) to achieve the milestone.
However it was the opening pair of Shan Masood and Sami Aslam who set the platform for a giant complete by placing collectively a stable 114-run opening stand after they resumed at 64 with out loss. Sri Lanka, nevertheless, hit again by eradicating each openers within the area of two runs.
Aslam, recalled after being dropped from the West Indies tour on disciplinary grounds earlier this 12 months, was trapped leg-before by off-break bowler Dilruwan Perera. He hit 4 boundaries in his seventh Take a look at half century.
Two runs later Masood tried a sweep shot off the wily Herath however missed the ball and was bowled spherical his legs. Pakistan had luck on their aspect with the opinions as each Ali and Shafiq survived assured appeals. Ali correctly reviewed a leg-before resolution off Perera, however the ball hit his bat earlier than the pad.
Shafiq was given not out on a assessment when he was stumped off Herath on one. It was Herath who lastly dislodged Shafiq when a pointy turner caught an edge off Shafiq’s bat, deflected from wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella’s thigh to slide the place Lahiru Thirimanne took the catch.
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS: 419
PAKISTAN IST INNINGS:
(OVERNIGHT: 64-Zero):
Shan Masood b Herath 59
Sami Aslam lbw b Perera 51
Azhar Ali not out 74
Asad Shafiq c Thirimanne b Herath 39
Babar Azam c Dickwella b Pradeep 28
EXTRAS: (b4, lb9, nb2) 15
TOTAL: (Four wkts; 112.Four overs) 266
FOW: 1-114, 2-116, Three-195, Four-266
BOWLING: Lakmal 15-Three-30-Zero (1nb), Pradeep 16.Four-1-44-1, Perera 27-7-58-1, Sundakan 26-6-68-Zero, Herath 25-6-47-2, Karunaratne Three-1-6-Zero
TOSS: Sri Lanka
UMPIRES: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)and Nigel Llong (ENG)
TV UMPIRE: Ahsan Raza (PAK)
MATCH REFEREE: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
