Sri Lanka put up a solid show with the bat to extend their advantage over Pakistan after their impressive show with the ball on the opening day of the second Test at the P Sara Oval in Colombo on Thursday (June 25).
After bowling Pakistan out for a meagre 138, courtesy Tharindu Kaushal and Dhammika Prasad, Sri Lanka reached 70 for 1 from 32 overs at stumps, trailing Pakistan by 68 runs. Kaushal Silva and Kumar Sangakkara were unbeaten on 21 and 18 respectively to steady the ship after Junaid Khan got rid of Dimuth Karunaratne for 28.
After Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat Prasad, Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera – the debutant paceman – all found appreciable bounce and a little bit of nip. Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed early fending at a short delivery from Prasad – the first ball of his second over – that caught the outside edge and ended up with Sangakkara, who took a smart catch at first slip.
Unperturbed, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali began the resistance, Ali picking Mathews for consecutive fours in the very next over. They were mostly assiduous, putting on 46 for the second wicket when Prasad returned to the attack and struck with his first ball. This one had extra bounce and moved away a tad, with Azhar all squared up. The umpire denied the appeal but Sri Lanka reviewed, and after a long period of deliberation, he was adjudged caught behind.
In the next over, Younis Khan, in his 100th Test, survived another close call. Mathews rapped him on the pads with a full delivery and appealed with conviction, and when the appeal was turned down, Mathews reviewed straightaway. This time, the bounce worked against the bowler, the third umpire sticking with his on-field colleague’s call.
Hafeez and Younis were dogged thereafter – except when Hafeez raced down the track and lifted Kaushal, the offspinner, straight down – ensuring Pakistan headed to lunch without anymore wobbles.
Pakistan, however, lost eight for 68 after lunch as Kaushal, playing his second Test, ended with a five-wicket haul.
Younis (2) fell in the very first over lunch, trying to leave one from Prasad, giving the pacer his third wicket of the day. The ball pitched short of good length and didn’t bounce as much as Younis expected. Although he swayed away from the line and got his hands down, the ball took the glove and lobbed an easy catch to Dinesh Chandimal, the wicketkeeper.
Hafeez made a promising 75-ball 42, but his innings was cut short by Kaushal. While the pitch had a bit of grass and assisted the pacers, Kaushal got enough purchase and found the inside edge of the bat before the ball crashed onto the stumps.
With the score at 89 for 4, Pakistan needed consolidation. However, that wasn’t to be. Kaushal was rewarded for bowling a tentative line and flighting the ball. Off the second ball of the 31st over, Asad Shafiq (2) got an inside edge onto the pads off Kaushal and the ball lobbed to short-leg but fell just short. However Shafiq failed to capitalise on it and was lbw the next ball. He went for a review, but replays suggested the ball would have clipped the leg stump.
