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28 March 2024

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test in Dubai, Day 1: Lanka hold edge after skittling out Pak

Published
By Cricket Correspondent with Agencies

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was vindicated for surprisingly deciding to field after winning the toss when his fast bowlers skittled Pakistan for 165 in the first innings of the second Test in Dubai on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka then lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne (32) to reach 57 for one when bad light brought an end to the day's play. Kaushal Silva and Kumar Sangakkara (both 12) were the unbeaten batsmen at the crease.

Ahmed Shehzad (three) was the only batsman out in the morning as Pakistan reached 57 for one at lunch after Mathews became the first captain in six tests to put the opposition in at the International Stadium.

But the plot changed quickly in the afternoon session as Pakistan slumped from 78 for one to 127 for six with the Sri Lanka pace trio picking up two wickets apiece.

Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor (73) survived some nervous moments before completing his sixth half-century in tests and added 50 for the second wicket with Mohammad Hafeez (21).

Nuwan Pradeep was impressive on his recall to the test side after a year and finished with three wickets for 62 while Shaminda Eranga picked up the prized scalps of the experienced Younus Khan (13) and Misbah-ul-Haq (one).

Younus and Misbah departed in the space of an over in similar fashion, edging Eranga to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

Sri Lanka's other fast bowler, Suranga Lakmal, accounted for Manzoor and Asad Shafiq (six) while left-arm spinner Rangana Herath polished off the Pakistan tail to pick up three wickets, having given up a total of 26 runs in the innings.

Pakistan failed to capitalise on some dropped catches by the Sri Lankan fielders and lost their last eight wickets for just 58 runs.

EVENING SESSION

Sri Lanka made a strong reply of 57-1 in 16 overs  after dismissing Pakistan for 165 when bad light stopped play on the first day of the second Test at Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday.

Having been put into bat, Pakistan struggled against the three-pronged seam attack of Lakmal, Eranga and Pradeep losing their last eight wickets for 58 runs to be bowled out less than an hour after the tea interval.

Sri Lanka made a positive reply with left hander Dimuth Karunaratne stroking seven boundaries in his enterprising knock of 32 during an opening stand of 40 with Kashal Silva who was unbeaten on 12.

Sangakkara was with him on 12 having hit a boundary before accepting the offer of bad light.

Sri Lanka trail by 108 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Junaid Khan has figures of 7-1-26-1.

Sri Lanka's bowling coach Chaminda Vaas praised the performance of the pacers despite picking up only one wicket in the morning session.

"From the first match onwards all the seamers bowled pretty well. They bowled good line and length. I asked them to do the basics. Test cricket is all about basics for fast bowlers. They came and bent their backs and bowled pretty good line and length and in the end they were well rewarded for their hard work," said Vaas when asked the reason for their success.

Although Dubai stadium favoured spin, the gamble to play three seamers and put Pakistan into bat was influenced by the fact that it rained all day before the match.

"Yesterday it was raining the whole day and when I saw the wicket first thing in the morning, there was some water underneath and we were playing three seamers. That's why we put them into bat because the wicket was covered the whole day and there was a little bit of green on it," said the former Sri Lanka all-rounder.

"Test cricket is a five-day game you can't really say anything. Bowlers have done a good job so it is now the turn of the batsmen to put runs on the board. They'll have to put their head down and get a good score," said when asked about the prognosis for the second day.

Pradeep made a spectacular return to Test cricket claiming three for 62.

"I'm playing Test cricket after two years. My success was due to the hard work at club and A team. I just bowled line and length," said Pradeep.

Sri Lanka has history of fast breaking down but this seems to be changing now.

"Now most of the fast bowlers are monitored at practices with the trainer and the physio looking after them giving them all the support and looking after them very well. Most of the fast bowlers in Sri Lanka are going well without any injury," said Vaas, who spearheaded the Sri Lanka attack during his day.

Vaas said the turning point of the Pakistan innings was getting Manzoor out.

"The turning point was getting the wicket of Khurram Manzoor becuase he batted well right throughout the first two hours," he said.

Manzoor top scored for Pakistan with a solid knock of 73 before becoming one of four victims of wicket keeper Jayawardene.

"Toss was crucial. Sri Lankan bowlers bowled right areas. I tried to be positive though there was something in the pitch for seamers," said Manzoor.

He felt the first hour on Thursday would be crucial.

"The pitch was seaming all day. There was a lot to bowl on. I'm disappoint at missing out on a century but since coming back against Zimbabwe, I grabbed the opportunity and determined to cement my place in the side," said Manzoor.

Sangakkara cracks Rahat through gully and point for his first boundary. SL 57-1 in 16 overs.

Karunaratne gets a couple of streaky boundaries through slips off Junaid before being trapped leg before with Sri Lanka being unsuccessful with the decision review. SL 40-1 in 11 overs.

Dinesh Karunaratne lbw b Junaid Khan 32 (43b 7x4 0x6)

Karunaratne gets another couple of boundaries off Junaid over slips and through the onside. SL 32-0 in 9 overs.

Kaushal gets his first boundary punching Rahat through point. SL 24-0 in 8 overs.

Karunaratne is on song cutting a bouncer from Junaid over extra cover to the boundary. SL 18-0 in 7 overs.

Dimuth Karunaratne gets going with a couple of boundaries on the leg side off Rahat, clipping to fine and then driving to mid-on. SL 11-0 in 4 overs.

Karunaratne hits the first runs of the Sri Lanka innings with a single off Junaid in the third over. SL 1-0 in 3 overs.

PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS

Pakistan are dismissed for 165 in 63.5 overs in their first innings after being put into bat, losing their last eight wickets for 58 runs.

Manzoor top scored with 73 off 136 balls hitting seven boundaries and six while Bhatti remained unbeatne on 24 which contained three boundaries a six.

Pradeep recalled to the side after a year claimed three for 25 while left arm spinner Herath mopped up the tail snaring three for 26.

Lakmal claimed two for 45 and Eranga two for 25 dismissing experienced campaigners Younis Khan and Misbah in successive overs.

Herath claims three as Junaid is trapped leg before as Pakistan are all out for 165 in 63.5 overs.    

Junaid Khan lbw b Herath 2 (12b 0x4 0x6)

Bhatti hammers a bouncer from Eranga for a six over long leg. Pak 165-9 in 63 overs.

Pakistan are crumbling in a heap as Herath strikes twice within the space of five balls trapping Rahat leg before with Sri Lanka being successful with a decision review. Pak 151-9 in 58 overs.    

Rahat Ali lbw b Herath 0 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Herath strikes as Ajmal pops a catch to Kaushal at short leg. Pak 151-8 in 57.2 overs.

Saeed Ajmal c Silva b Herath 8 (10b 1x4 0x6)

Ajmal hits a boundary off Lakmal with a lovely late cut while Bhatti edges through slips for another. Pak 151-7 on 57 overs.

Bhatti gets his second boundary with a lovely flick to fine leg off Lakmal. Pak 139-7 in 55 overs.

Bhatti slams Pradeep back past the bowler for a boundary. Pak 134-7 in 54 overs.

Sarfraz becomes wicket keeper Jayawardene's fourth victim as Pradeep claims his third wicket in the second over after tea. Pak 129-7 in 53.4 overs.    

Sarfraz Ahmed c Prasanna Jayawardene b Pradeep 7 (16b 0x4 0x6)

AFTERNOON SEESSION

Sri Lanka took the honours in the afternoon session capturing five wickets for 71 runs scything through the Pakistan line-up.

The seamers led by Nuwan Pradeep had Pakistan struggling at 128 for six wickets after being put into bat.

Pradeep (below) justified his surprise inclusion in the team as the third seamer knocking back Hafeez's off stump.



Shaminda Eranga then got into the act when he picked up the key wickets of the two century-makers of the first Test, Younis Khan and captain Misbah-ul-Haq in successive overs.

Both were caught behind by Prasanna Jayawardene fishing at balls pitched outside the off stump.

Opener Khurram Manzoor completed a fine half-century off 88 balls before edging Suranga Lakmal to wicket-keeper Jayawardene. Manzoor made 73 off 138 balls with one six and seven fours.

Asad Shafiq perished cheaply driving Lakmal uppishly to Kaushal Silva held onto a diving catch at short cover.

Sri Lanka could have picked up a seventh Pakistani wicket before tea but Dimuth Karunaratne put down the edge at second slip offered by Bilawal Bhatti in the final over before the interval bowled by Pradeep.

Bhatti is dropped by Karunaratne at slip off Pradeep in the last over before tea. Pak 128-7 in 52 overs.

Lakmal picks up his second wicket as Shafiq drives him straight to Silva at short cover. Pak 127-6 in 50.2 overs.    

Asad Shafiq c Silva b Lakmal 6 (34b 0x4 0x6)

Lakmal strikes being rewarded for his perseverance as Manzoor pokes at a wide delivery to become wicketkeeper Prasanna's third victim. Pak 118-5 in 46.5 overs.

Khurram Manzoor c Prasanna Jayawardene b Lakmal 73 (136b 7x4 1x6)

Eranga picks up his second wicket as Misbah edges behind with a defensive prod. Pak 109-3 in 40.1 overs.

Misbah ul Haq c Prasanna Jayawardene b Eranga 1 (7b 0x4 0x6)

Eranga strikes taking the big wicket of Younis who chases a widish delivery to give an edge behind for Prasanna to take a good low catch. Pak 107-3 in 38.1 overs.

Younis Khan c Prasanna Jayawardene b Eranga 13 (29b 1x4 0x6)

Manzoor hits the first six of the match slamming Herath over long-on. Pak 107-2 in 38 overs.

Herath returns to the attack and bowls a maiden to Younis. Pak 98-2 in 36 overs.

Manzoor punches Lakmal through point for a boundary. Pak 98-2 in 35 overs.

Younis gets his first boundary driving Pradeep through the covers. Pak 94-2 in 34 overs.

Manzoor (below) completes his half century off 88 balls with a single of Lakmal who replaces Herath. Pak 81-2 in 29 overs.



Pradeep strikes in the third over after lunch castling Hafeez. Pak 78-2 in 27.5 overs.    

Mohammad Hafeez b Pradeep 21 (59b 4x4 0x6)

Hafeez also gets into the act smashing a couple of boundaries off Herath. Pak 77-1 in 27 overs.

Manzoor slams three boundaries in the first over after lunch off Pradeep. Pak 69-1 in 26 overs.

MORNING SESSION

Sri Lanka’s fast bowling trio tied down Pakistan to a lunch time score of 57 for one wicket in the opening session of the first day in the second Test played at Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday.

Having put Pakistan into bat first, Sri Lanka were able to pick up only the solitary wicket of Ahmed Shehzad for three, when Nuwan Pradeep trapped him lbw plumb in front of the wicket in his third over.

Sri Lanka would have had the wicket of Mohammad Hafeez as well off the next delivery had not Mahela Jayawardene diving to his left missed the resulting edge at first slip.

Sri Lanka also missed Shehzad at one when Angelo Mathews dropped him at third slip off Suranga Lakmal but it didn’t prove to be a costly miss as Shehzad was dismissed two runs later.

Hafeez was unbeaten on 13 with Khurram Manzoor on 36 at the lunch break.

Pradeep was Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler with one for 20 off seven overs.

Spin introduced in the last over before lunch but Hafeez ends Pakistan's drought of boundaries by pulling Herath to midwicket. Pak 57-1 in 25 overs.

Mahela gets injured after going for a tough chance in the slips off Manzoor off Pradeep.

Team manager Michael de Zoysa said that Jayawardene had split the webbing between his little finger and fourth finger of his left hand and had gone to hospital to have some stitches inserted.

“Mahela will be able to bat but he won’t be able to field,” said De Zoysa.



Pradeep strikes in his third over trapping Shehzad leg before. Pak 28-1 in 9.3 overs.    

Ahmed Shehzad lbw b Pradeep 3 (27b 0x4 0x6)

Shehzad is dropped on nought by Mathews as he edges Lakmal. Pak 20-0 in 5 overs.

Manzoor hits the first boundary of the innings off Eranga through mid-on. Pak 17-0 in 4 overs.

Eranga has been handed the new ball from the other end.

Lakmal opens the attack against Manzoor who gets a single off the third ball to open Pakistan's account.

Sri Lanka have won the toss and opted to bowl in the second Test against Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday.

Sarfraz Ahmed has come in place of the injured Adnan Akmal.

Sri Lanka have recalled seamer Nuwan Pradeep in place of Sachithra Senanayake.

TEAMS

Pakistan - Khurram Manzoor, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Bilawal Bhatti, Rahat Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan
   
Sri Lanka - FDM Karunaratne, JK Silva, KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene, LD Chandimal, AD Mathews, HAPW Jayawardene, HMRKB Herath, RMS Eranga, RAS Lakmal, N Pradeep