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19 March 2024

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test Day 3: Mathews puts Lanka in driver's seat

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By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies
 



Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews led by example, hitting an unbeaten 77 to help his team overcome a top order wobble and take a 291-run lead against Pakistan at the end of the third day's play in the third and final Test at Pallekele on Sunday.

At 35-3, Sri Lanka looked in deep trouble but Mathews added 81 runs with Jehan Mubarak (35) for the fifth wicket to steady the innings.

He and Dinesh Chandimal (39 not out) then added 67 runs to stretch the lead before bad light forced early stumps with Sri Lanka in firm control of the series-deciding contest.

Having claimed the last Pakistani wicket in the morning to bowl out the visitors for 215, Sri Lanka wobbled early in their second innings with Rahat Ali troubling their batsmen in a brilliant display of swing bowling.

The left-arm paceman first pegged back the off stump of Dimuth Karunaratne, a first innings centurion, then repeated the feat against Lahiru Thirimanne to wreck the top order.

His new ball partner Ehsan Adil got in on the act when he coaxed an edge from Kaushal Silva to claim the other Sri Lanka wicket to fall in a stop-start morning session interrupted by several rain delays.

Upul Tharanga (48) looked the most fluent of the Sri Lankan batsmen, hitting six boundaries in his nearly run-a-ball knock as he counter-attacked with aggression.

The southpaw, however, fell short of his fifty with Azhar Ali taking a smart bat-pad catch at forward short leg off Yasir Shah.

Back in the Test squad after nearly eight years, Mubarak joined his captain in rebuilding the innings but was dismissed for 35 by Shah, who claimed his 24th wicket in the series.

Chandimal ensured Sri Lanka kept piling on runs, hitting five boundaries in his innings.

Earlier, Sarfraz Ahmed remained not out after a defiant 78 as Pakistan conceded a 63-run first innings deficit.

Spinner Tharindu Kaushal deceived the scoreless Imran Khan with a straighter delivery that hit the off stump, leaving Sarfraz stranded as Pakistan could only add six runs to their overnight 209-9.

Bad light has caused an early to the day's proceedings with Sri Lanka 228-5 in their second innings, enjoying a lead of 291.

Skipper Angelo Mathews is unbeaten on 77 while Chandimal is with him on 39.

Chandimal cracks Shah through point for his first boundary. SL 180-5, 55 overs.

Shah gets the breakthrough as Mubarak falls to a bat-pad catch. SL 161-5, 50.2 overs.

Jehan Mubarak c Azhar Ali b Yasir Shah 35 (94b 6x4 0x6)

Mathews slams Shah back over his head for a boundary to complete his 22nd Test half century. SL 160-4, 49 overs.

Mathews steers a bouncer from Imran over the keeper for a six as Sri Lanka's innings gathers momentum. SL 152-4, 46 overs.

Mubarak is on song smashing Shah to long leg and cutting Adil for another boundary. SL 138-4, 42 overs.

Mubarak pounces on a short ball from Adil jabbing it to the point boundary. SL 124-4, 40 overs.

Mubarak jabs Adil past mid-on for the first boundary after the tea interval. SL 117-4, 38 overs.

Tea

Sri Lanka steadied their second innings following a top order collapse to reach the tea interval on 112 for four, a lead of 175, on the third day of the third and final Test against Pakistan at Pellekele on Sunday.

Skipper Angelo Mathews (31) and Jehan Mubarak (nine) were at the crease when rain forced tea as the hosts looked to set a daunting total in the series-decider.

Having claimed the last Pakistani wicket in the morning to bowl out the visitors for 215, Sri Lanka wobbled early in their second innings with Rahat Ali troubling their batsmen in a brilliant display of swing bowling.

The left-arm paceman first pegged back the off stump of Dimuth Karunaratne, a first innings centurion, then repeated the feat against Lahiru Thirimanne to quickly wreck the top order.

His new ball partner Ehsan Adil got in on the act when he coaxed an edge from Kaushal Silva to claim the other Sri Lanka wicket to fall in a stop-start morning session interrupted by several rain delays.

Upul Tharanga (48) looked the most fluent of the Sri Lankan batsman, hitting six boundaries in his nearly run-a-ball knock as he counter-attacked with aggression.

The southpaw, however, fell short of his fifty with Azhar Ali taking a smart bat-pad catch at forward short leg off Yasir Shah.

Earlier, Sarfraz Ahmed remained not out after a defiant 78 as Pakistan conceded a 63-run first innings deficit.

Spinner Tharindu Kaushal deceived the scoreless Imran Khan with a straighter delivery that hit the off stump, leaving Sarfraz stranded as Pakistan could only add six runs to their overnight 209-9.

Rain has caused another stoppage with Sri Lanka 112-4 in 36.1 overs as tea is taken.

Mubarak gets cracking by slamming Shah through point for a boundary. SL 96-4, 27 overs.

Pakistan are unsuccessful with a review for lbw but Shah strikes next ball getting the big wicket of Tharanga who nicks a bat-pad catch. SL 80-4, 22.2 overs.

Upul Tharanga c Azhar Ali b Yasir Shah 48 (47b 6x4 0x6)

Shah comes into the attack and Tharanga punches a slightly short ball through the covers for a boundary. SL 68-3, 19 overs.

Tharanga survives a call for leg before in the first ball after lunch from Imran but Pakistan did not take the review with replays suggesting it would have hit the stumps.

Lunch

Sri Lanka suffered a top order collapse in their second innings to slump to 55 for three wickets at lunch, a lead of 118, on the third day of the third and final Test against Pakistan at Pellekele on Sunday.

Pakistan's left-arm paceman Rahat Ali pegged back the off stump of Dimuth Karunaratne, the hosts' first innings centurion, and Lahiru Thirimanne in a brilliant display of swing bowling.

His new ball colleague Ehsan Adil induced an edge from Kaushal Silva to claim the other Sri Lanka wicket to fall on a stop-start morning interrupted by several rain delays.

At the interval, Upul Tharanga was unbeaten after a breezy 29 with skipper Angelo Mathews (12) at the other end, as the hosts sought to rebuild their second innings in the series-deciding contest.

Earlier, Sarfraz Ahmed remained not out after a defiant 78 as Pakistan conceded a 63-run first innings deficit when the tourists lost their last wicket to be all out for 215.

Spinner Tharindu Kaushal deceived the scoreless Imran Khan with a straighter delivery that hit the off stump, leaving Sarfraz stranded as Pakistan could only add six runs to their overnight 209-9.

Tharanga is in sublime touch punching Rahat through the covers for a delightful boundary. SL 48-3, 13 overs.

Mathews opens his account with a sweetly timed straight to the fence off the first ball after the rain break from Imran. SL 41-3, 12 overs.

Rain has caused another interruption in play with Sri Lanka reeling at 36-3 in 11.1 overs.

Rahat is rocking Sri Lanka with Thirimanne succumbing to pressure with an away swinging yorker. SL 35-3, 11 overs.

Lahiru Thirimanne b Rahat Ali 0 (11b 0x4 0x6)

Tharanga gets into his stride with a couple of boundaries on either side of the wicket off Adi. SL 35-2, 10 overs.

Adil strikes with Misbah taking a low catch at first slip which is adjudged by the third umpire as Silva gets an outside edge. SL 22-2, 7.5 overs.

Kaushal Silva c Misbah b Ehsan Adil 3 (16b 0x4 0x6)


Rahat draws first blood clipping the off stump of Karunaratne with a beauty. SL 12-1, 6.2 overs.

Dimuth Karunaratne b Rahat Ali 10 (26b 0x4 0x6)

Play resumes after the rain break with Sri Lanka enjoying a lead of 63.

Pakistan first innings

Kaushal strikes in the second over of the morning castling last man Imran Khan who plays down the wrong line as Pakistan are all out for 215 in 66 overs with Sarfraz unbeaten on 78.

Imran Khan b Kaushal 0 (8b 0x4 0x6)

A slight delay in start because of a drizzle before play finally begins with a minimum of 98 overs to be bowled on the third day.

Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed his third five-wicket haul of the series but Sri Lanka took the upper hand on day two of the third and final Test by restricting the visitors to 209 for nine at Pallekele on Saturday.

After Azhar Ali (52) showed some fight in an otherwise top order capitulation, Sarfraz Ahmed remained not out after a gutsy 72 to take Pakistan past the 200-mark in the series-deciding contest.

Imran Khan was scoreless at the other end, having survived six balls with Pakistan still 69 runs behind Sri Lanka's first innings total of 278.

Intermittent rain allowed only 68 overs on the second day at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.