THE Sri Lankans, having completed their first innings with an imposing whole, should certainly be in a consolation zone and in place to press house the benefit of batting first after which retaining the house workforce within the discipline for nearly two days to empty them out.
They owe this clearly to their middle-order and decrease order batsmen who saved the innings going regardless of the very best efforts put in by the Pakistan bowlers on a gradual and an unhelpful wicket on which the Sri Lankan batsmen most popular to occupy the crease for so long as doable.
They fulfilled the job not solely with authority however with success to make the Pakistan bowling grind which additionally was helped, undoubtedly, by a few requested critiques which have been turned down within the guests’ favour.
However that’s certainly isn’t any excuse for Pakistan’s lack of success with the ball as a result of the tougher they tried to maintain the visiting batsmen in examine, the more durable resistance they met with the Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal main the cost to attain his ninth Take a look at century and the primary because the captain of his nation.
His 134 runs partnership for the fifth wicket with Niroshan Dickwella who made an enterprising 83 and one other worthwhile contribution for the sixth wicket by Dilruwan Perera have been certainly the spotlight of the day.
Within the latest previous, with the exit of their two greats of the sport in Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka’s graph on the worldwide degree has immediately dipped, which is all the time the case with each workforce in such a state of affairs.
Pakistan can also be in the identical boat after the departure of the indomitable Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan who left with honour and with a document simply as spectacular as that of Jayawardene or Sangakkara.
Their current captain Chandimal, although, appears to be like a ok candidate to fill within the footwear of his nice predecessors. He’s a gutsy, disciplined, skillful and clever batsman to suss out the state of affairs and information the innings accordingly. Hello high-quality unbeaten innings of 155, within the ultimate reckoning, might be a handful for Pakistan except Sarfraz Ahmed and his males present up with as a lot utility.
Gaping cracks have began to look on this uninteresting monitor and likewise the odd supply has began to maintain low. That, little question, may have a bearing on the best way Pakistan batsmen deal with the Sri Lankan assault which on paper seems to be much more balanced than Pakistan which has gone in with three pacers within the match.
Printed in Daybreak, September 30th, 2017
