Pakistan took a meandering match by the collar, took six wickets on the ultimate morning, and now stand solely 136 runs from victory within the first Check – a flip of occasions almost unattainable to think about as not too long ago as two seconds in the past.
Main their outstanding resurgence, as ever within the UAE, was Yasir Shah, who had his legbreaks spitting out of the following district, on his strategy to figures of 5 for 51. Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali shared three wickets between them within the morning session, by which Sri Lanka mustered solely 69 runs. So dominant have been Pakistan’s bowling that they created eight deadly errors in whole, however the two drops within the slips didn’t find yourself delaying their cost very lengthy.
Earlier than Yasir’s marketing campaign started in earnest, Abbas was the person to assert what was maybe a very powerful wicket of the day. Kusal Mendis has resisted good bowling assaults within the second innings up to now 14 months, however right here, had his outdoors edge overwhelmed by an Abbas away-seamer, earlier than the following ball leapt again at him off the seam. It hit him simply consistent with the stumps, and although Mendis ventured a assessment, the choice would stand. He was out for 18.
Niroshan Dickwella, the following man in, held Pakistan again for some time, making use of his sweeps and reverse-sweeps specifically, however so viciously was Yasir turning the ball now, he hardly ever appeared answerable for these pictures. Nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal struggled in opposition to Yasir for a couple of overs, earlier than finally pulling Abbas into the arms of sq. leg.
Dickwella tried the occasional boundary, as soon as even operating at Yasir to hit him down the bottom, however the remaining lower-order batsmen had neither the talent nor the temperament to defuse bowling of such top quality. Dilruwan Perera had already survived a couple of nervous moments earlier than he was caught in entrance of the stumps by a Yasir slider. Rangana Herath was caught bat-pad the very subsequent ball.
Sri Lanka at this stage have been successfully 98 for eight, and that scoreline would enhance solely marginally, and never with out helpings of luck. Lakshan Sandakan edged his strategy to eight off 18 balls, earlier than he tried a unnecessary reduce off Yasir and holed out to level one ball earlier than lunch. Dickwella, who had been dropped by slip for 35 off Hasan, remained unbeaten on 40, having tried the defend the tail from the strike. Nonetheless Nuwan Pradeep was cleaned up first ball, and Sri Lanka face defeat in a match that they had been aggressive in for thus lengthy.
