Azhar Ali. PHOTO: AFP
ABU DHABI: Azhar Ali as soon as extra rescued Pakistan’s batting with a combating half century on the third day of the primary Take a look at in opposition to 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 submit Younus Khan and Misbahul Haq period who retired in Might this 12 months after shouldering crew’s batting for practically seven years.
A cautious Ali made positive Pakistan don’t concede an enormous lead within the first innings, having hit just one boundary in his 26th Take a look at half century.
In all Ali has to this point 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 battle to Sri Lankan three-pronged spin assault.
Veteran left-arm spinner Herath was essentially 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 grew to become the eighth Pakistan batsmen behind Younus Khan (10,099), Javed Miandad (8832) Inzamamul Haq (8829), Mohammad Yousuf (7530), Salim Malik (5768), Misbah (5222) and Zaheer Abbas (5062) to succeed in the milestone.
But it surely was the opening pair of Shan Masood and Sami Aslam who set the platform for an enormous complete by placing collectively a stable 114-run opening stand after they resumed at 64 with out loss.
Sri Lanka, nonetheless, hit again by eradicating each openers within the house 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 facet with the opinions as each Ali and Shafiq survived assured appeals. Ali properly reviewed a leg-before resolution off Perera, however the ball hit his bat earlier than the pad.
Shafiq was given not out on a evaluation 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.
