Match Details
Pakistan started the day at 222-3 needing a further 120 runs for the win. Abdullah Shafique resumed on 112 while Mohammed Rizwan resumed on 7. Pakistan dominated the first hour and a bit playing positive cricket. Rizwan, in particular, looked busy and scored runs at a fair clip. The duo took the score to 276 before Rizwan was trapped LBW to a ball that kept low from that man who has bowled a marathon spell Prabath Jayasuriya. Agha came in and hung around for a 35-ball 12 before he was caught behind at the stroke of Lunch by Prabath Jayasuriya who got his fourth wicket. The players went to Lunch at 298-5 needing a further 44 for the win.
Hasan Ali
was promoted up the order and that lasted for a short while as after hitting a
boundary, he went to slog across the line and top-edged it high up in the air
for the catch to be taken by Maheesh Theekshana in the deep. Abdullah Shafique
kept it going for Pakistan and got to his maiden 150 in Test Cricket. A big
moment in the game arrived when Shafique slogged across the line and top-edged
the ball high in the air of Dhananjaya de Silva’s bowling with 19 needed to win,
but Kasun Rajitha in the deep put down a sitter to give Abdullah Shafique a
life here. He was unbeaten on 154 off 202 balls while Mohammad Nawaz has just
joined him and is unbeaten on 12 off 24 balls when the heavens opened up. The rain had arrived with 11 runs needed for Pakistan and 4 wickets required for Sri
Lanka. This only delayed the inevitable as after an hour's delay play resumed and Nawaz with an unbeaten 19 off 34 balls alongside Abdullah Shafique who remained unbeaten on 160 off 408 balls. It was fitting that he hit the winning runs for Pakistan and they can rejoice and cherish this victory.
From Sri Lanka's point of view, only one man stood out. Prabath Jayasuriya as he delivered 56.2 marathon overs and gave away 135 runs for his four wickets. But he was not supported by the others around him. Theekshana didn't bowl much due to his finger injury while Ramesh Mendis was inconsistent, to say the least. Kasun Rajitha wasn't even used today which was a surprise to some of us. Mendis did take a wicket and so did Dhananjaya de Silva, but Pakistan were too good in the end.
So, an unbeaten 41-run stand-off 78 balls enable Pakistan to win by 4 wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the 2-match series. It's time now for the post-match presentation ceremony that comes your way now.