Pakistan rattle Sri Lanka with Masood-Younis show

An unbroken (217) run stand for the third wicket between Younis Khan (101 n.o) and Shan Masood (114 n.o) renewed Pakistan’s hopes after being precariously placed at 13 for 2 in the third Test at Pallekele yesterday.

At stumps, Pakistan in pursuit of a victory target of 377 runs to win, was comfortably placed at 230 for 2 still needing 147 runs to win on the last day with plenty of batting to come.

Pakistan had a dreadful start, losing Ahmed Shehzad and Azhar Ali, two of their top batsmen with just 13 runs on the board. Shehzad was bowled through the gate by Suranga Lakmal and Azhar Ali caught by Chandimal off Prasad. Younis Khan and Shan Masood provided the substance to the innings with the unfinished stand. Opener Shan Masood struck his maiden Test hundred hoisting Tharindu Kaushal for a six while Younis Khan reached his 30th Test hundred with a four to square leg.

With Khan and Masood together at the wicket at close of play and more top batsmen to follow the scales seem to be evenly balanced or one could say more on the Pakistan side unless something sensational happens this morning.

Experienced Younis Khan and Shan Masood, a good young player found nothing in the bowling to disturb them. They added 217 excellent runs for the third wicket. Khan and newcomer Masood were calm and unleashed some forceful shots manfully to hold the side together after the early loss of wickets.

When play began with Mathews 77 n.o and Chandimal 39 n.o with an overall lead of 291, the sixth wicket pair was in no mood to do anything extravagant but to build a substantial lead. Imran Khan and Yasir Shah was not bowling bad, but watchful batting helped them to build up the score. Chandimal had regained his confidence and reached his seventh Test fifty facing 76 deliveries with six fours while Mathews showed signs of aggression and was quick in pulling and hooking anything short. Chandimal looked a mature batsman throughout his innings and more an accomplished craftsman than he had looked in recent times. Mathews and Chandimal posted the 100 run stand in 132 minutes facing 188 deliveries.

In the morning, the Pakistani bowlers were unable to extract much from a four day old wicket. Spinner Yasir Shah had not been able to turn the ball enough for it to beat the bat. Mathews and Chandimal were going on relentlessly, but Pakistan would have known that they had to just get either Mathews or Chandimal to expose Sri Lanka’s brittle late middle order. The second new ball was available and Imran Khan did it by first unshipping Chandimal for 67. He produced a short blitz and struck double blows in the sixteenth over of the day, trapping Chandimal leg before and Dhammika Prasad caught behind in consecutive deliveries and was on a hat-trick as Sri Lanka’s chances of obtaining a 400-plus lead quickly receded.

Within the space of thirty three deliveries with the second new ball in the morning, Imran Khan took the last five wickets for 35 runs to give his first five wicket haul in Test cricket. Imran’s final tally was 5 for 58 in 20.4 overs. He should have got six wickets but Mishbah-Ul- Haq dropped Nuwan Pradeep in the slips.

Chandimal and Mathews added 117 runs for the sixth wicket while Mathews was approaching his century (99 n.o) . Mathews reached his fifth Test hundred in the company of Tharindu Kaushal who came at the fall of Chandimal’s wicket. Mathews running short of partners finally threw the towel in trying to cut Imran and was caught behind for 122 spending 400 minutes at the crease facing two hundred and fifty two deliveries with one six and a dozen fours.