In what turned out to be an action-packed session, Prabath Jayasuriya ran through the heart of Pakistan’s batting order to leave the side precariously placed at 104/7 at Lunch on Day 2 of the opening Test, still in arrears by 118.
When play began after rain played spoilsport for a brief period, the two overnight batters – Azhar Ali and Babar Azam – would have hoped to take Pakistan to safer waters.
Unfortunately for the tourists, in the very first over of the day, Azhar was trapped in front while attempting a sweep off Jayasuriya.
The opener placed his belief in the review but to no avail.
In fact, in the same over, Azhar was dropped at covers by Dimuth Karunaratne but that fluffed chance didn’t prove to be costly.
At that stage, Babar and Mohammad Rizwan rightly looked to take the aggressive route. Babar flicked and cut the tall pace bowler Kasun Rajitha into the boundary hoardings.
Rizwan then employed the drive to collect a couple of boundaries while facing the dangerous Jayasuriya. Meanwhile, Babar used the depth of the crease to crunch a cut off the left-arm spinner.
Just when it felt as if the duo would negate the threat of Jayasuriya, Rizwan fell to the off-spin of Ramesh Mendis, with the wicketkeeper grabbing the chance.
Salman Agha, the debutant, followed Rizwan back to the hut, dismissed LBW via a slider from Jayasuriya.
The left-arm spinner could have also taken the vital wicket of Babar, but the Pakistan skipper was saved by the umpire’s call on impact.
Mohammad Nawaz couldn’t last long either, with Oshada Fernando showing very good reflexes at forward short leg to pouch the catch off Jayasuriya’s bowling.
The left-arm spinner then took his third five-for in just his second Test by dislodging Shaheen Afridi LBW.
Yasir Shah had a few close shaves but he gave Babar company, as the pair took the side to the break.
Source: cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/
