Opener Dimuth Karunaratne fell seven runs short of a deserved century as he anchored Sri Lanka’s fightback on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The left-hander was run out for 93 but helped his team recover from a precarious 61/3 to reach 227/4 at close after Sri Lanka won the toss and batted on a greenish Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch.
Karunaratne added an invaluable 100-run partnership with skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who was 60 not out at stumps, as Pakistan failed to break through with the second new ball.
Niroshan Dickwella was unbeaten on 42, having added 66 runs for the unbroken fifth-wicket stand alongside his captain.
Chandimal was given leg before to Yasir Shah on 42, a decision which was overturned on review. His innings has included six boundaries while Dickwella hit five fours and a six during his aggressive knock.
Shah returned figures of 2/59 but didn’t get much turn from the pitch while seamer Hasan Ali took 1/58.
It was Karunaratne’s fourth half-century against Pakistan, and sixth overall, that brought Sri Lanka back into it in the last two sessions.
But he was run out in the last session as he attempted a quick single only to be left stranded after Chandimal at the non-striker’s end sent him back.
Pakistan had the advan- tage in the first session with leg-spinner Shah taking two wickets, dismissing lefthander Lahiru Thirimanne for his 150th Test wicket.
Shah matched fellow countryman Waqar Younis as the joint second fastest to 150 wickets – both achieving the milestone in their 27th Test. Australia’s Sydney Barnes holds the record after reaching the landmark in just 24 Tests.
No comments:
Post a Comment