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19 March 2024

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test Day 4: Masood-Younis show rattles Lanka

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By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies
 

Shan Masood and Younis Khan compiled unbeaten centuries to keep Pakistan in the hunt for a landmark victory in the series-deciding third and final Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.

Set a challenging target of 377 runs, the tourists recoverd from a shaky 13-2 to move to 230 without further loss by stumps on the rain-free fourth day in Pallekele.

Masood, the five-Test old left-hander, was unbeaten on 114, having reached his maiden century by lofting off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal for a six over long-on towards the end of play.

Younis, who made his 100th Test appearance in the second match of the series, got to his 30th century in the day's last over. The pair have put on 217 so far for the third wicket with Younis on 101.

Pakistan will enter the final day's play on Tuesday needing a further 147 runs with eight wickets in hand on a wearing, but easy-paced pitch at the Pallekele International Stadium.

If Pakistan win, it will be the first time a visiting team will have scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test on Sri Lankan soil.

Pakistan's highest successful chase is 314 runs they made against Australia to win the Karachi Test way back in 1994.

Earlier, Sri Lanka's captain Angelo Mathews was last man out for 122 as the hosts took their overnight score of 228-5 to 313 before they were all out at the stroke of lunch.

Pakistan, starting their second innings after the break, were dealt a blow before a run had been scored when seamer Suranga Lakmal bowled Ahmed Shehzad to claim his 50th Test wicket.

Sri Lanka struck again in the seventh over when Azhar Ali was caught down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal off Dhammika Prasad for five.

Masood, on 79, was fortunate to survive a close shout for leg-before by Mathews, who asked for a review after on-field umpire Paul Reiffel had turned down the appeal.

Replays proved inconclusive whether the ball had hit the bat, but with both the Hot Spot and Snicko technologies not available in this series, the TV umpire gave the benefit of doubt to the batsman.

Pakistan's fast bowler Imran Khan took all the five wickets that fell in the morning session in the space of 33 balls.

Imran's maiden five-wicket haul saw Sri Lanka lose their last five wickets for 35 runs after they were coasting at 278-5 in the first hour of play.

Mathews, who came in to bat on Sunday afternoon with his team reduced to 35-3, anchored the innings for more than six hours in which he hit 12 boundaries and a six.

Pakistan won the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets and Sri Lanka took the second in Colombo by seven wickets.

Tea

Sri Lanka grabbed two early wickets before Pakistan fought back in their chase of a challenging 377-run target in the series-deciding third Test in Pallekele on Monday.

The tourists slipped to 13-2 before Shan Masood and Younis Khan put on 86 for the third wicket to take the score to 99 without further loss by tea on the fourth day.

Left-handed Masood was unbeaten on 52 and Younis was on 41, with Pakistan still 278 runs away from victory on a wearing pitch at the Pallekele International Stadium.

No visiting team has scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test on Sri Lankan soil.

Earlier, Sri Lanka's captain Angelo Mathews was last man out for 122 as the hosts took their overnight score of 228-5 to 313 before they were all out at the stroke of lunch.

Pakistan, starting their second innings after the break, were dealt a blow before a run had been scored when seamer Suranga Lakmal bowled Ahmed Shehzad to claim his 50th Test wicket.

Sri Lanka struck again in the seventh over when Azhar Ali was caught down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal off Dhammika Prasad for five.

But Masood reached his second half-century and the experienced Younis settled into deny Sri Lanka further success.

Pakistan's fast bowler Imran Khan, operating with the second new ball, took all the five wickets that fell in the morning session in the space of 33 balls.

Imran's maiden five-wicket haul saw Sri Lanka lose their last five wickets for 35 runs after they were coasting at 278-5 in the first hour of play.

Lunch


Sri Lanka's captain Angelo Mathews hit a century to set Pakistan a tough target of 377 runs to win the series-deciding third and final Test in Pallekele on Monday.

Mathews was last man out for 122 as Sri Lanka took their overnight score of 228-5 to 313 before they were all out in their second innings at the stroke of lunch on the fourth day.

Fast bowler Imran Khan, operating with the second new ball, took all the five wickets that fell in the morning session in the space of 33 balls.

Imran's maiden five-wicket haul saw Sri Lanka lose their last five wickets for 35 runs after they were coasting at 278-5 in the first hour of play.

Pakistan will need an unprecedented effort to win the match since no visiting team has scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test on Sri Lankan soil.

Mathews, who came in to bat on Sunday afternoon with his team reduced to 35-3, anchored the innings for more than six hours in which he hit 12 boundaries and a six.

Mathews reached his fifth Test century with a flick off Rahat Ali for two runs, but not before he lost two partners off consecutive balls when he was on 99.

Dinesh Chandimal was trapped leg-before by Imran for 67, ending a 117-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Mathews.

Next man Dhammika Prasad bagged a 'king pair'- dismissed first ball in both innings - when he edged the next delivery from Imran to wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed.

Tharindu Kaushal denied Imran a hat-trick with a defensive push and then celebrated the achievement by flicking the same bowler for a boundary in his next over.

But Imran had Kaushal (eight), Suranga Lakmal (zero) and Mathews caught behind by Sarfraz to hasten the end of the innings.

Pakistan won the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets and Sri Lanka took the second in Colombo by seven wickets.

Sri Lanka second innings

Mathews is the last man out as Sri Lanka are all out for 313, 95.4 overs, a lead of 376, with Imran claiming his first five-wicket haul.

Angelo Mathews c Sarfraz Ahmed b Imran Khan 122 (252b 12x4 1x6)

Imran claims his fourth wicket having Lakmal caught behind. SL 306-9, 93.3 overs.

Suranga Lakmal c Sarfraz Ahmed b Imran Khan 0 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Imran claims his third wicket with the second new ball with Sarfraz snapping up Kaushal. SL 290-8, 90 overs.

Tharindu Kaushal c Sarfraz Ahmed b Imran Khan 8 (16b 1x4 0x6)


Kaushal clips Imran to long leg for a boundary as Sri Lanka continue to swell their lead. SL 285-7, 88 overs.

Mathews survives a few anxious moments on 99 before flicking Rahat for a couple to complete his fifth Test century. SL 280-7, 87 overs.

Double strike by Imran after the drinks interval with Kaushal averting the hat-trick. SL 278-7, 85.3 overs.

Dhammika Prasad c Sarfraz Ahmed b Imran Khan 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Dinesh Chandimal lbw b Imran Khan 67 (103b 8x4 0x6)


Mathews whips Rahat to midwicket for his first boundary of the day. SL 258-5, 81 overs.

Pakistan have taken the second new ball with Sri Lanka 250-5 in 80 overs, enjoying a lead of 313.

Chandimal hits the first boundary of the morning edging Imran past gully.

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.