KitSports » Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Pakistan rattle Sri Lanka with Masood-Younis show

kit-sports editor — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 00:31:03 +0000

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.

Sri Lanka will walk into their first Test

kit-sports editor — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 00:48:01 +0000

Sri Lanka will walk into their first Test in 15 years without Kumar Sangakkara or Mahela Jayawardene in their team at the third and final Test match starting from today at Pallekele.
The match will be the decider of the series, as the two teams have tied the series 1-1 so far even though both those matches were interrupted several times due to rain which will also be the case in Pallekele too.
“This is the first match without those two (Kumar and Mahela), and sometimes it’ll be hard but we have to get on with it and play our natural game. We are going for the win even though we may lose the series by attempting so,” said Lahiru Thirimanne the Vice Captain of the side.
Upul Tharanga has been brought in to replace Sangakkara who isn’t available for this mach due to his contract with Surrey, and Thirimanne predicted that Tharanga will straightaway walk into the number three position. “It (Tharanga at number 3) will be the long term choice. Hopefully Tharanga will perform and establish his position,” said Thirimanne.
Thirimanne also reckoned that Pallekale traditionally will assist fast bowlers hence they would prefer to go with three fast bowlers and one spinner, even though the home team’s young fast bowling prospect Dushmantha Chameera is suffering from injury.
“Chameera is suffering from a side strain and he is 50-50 at the moment, He will have to undergo a fitness test tomorrow.”
The leader of the attack, Rangana Herath may be given a rest in the third Test as the home team may go with young Tharindu Kaushal who was busy at training yesterday while Rangana Herath took the day off. Herath was out of touch during last two matches taking 2 wickets for 218 runs.
Also there is a possibility of bringing back Kusal Perera to number seven instead of Kithuruwan Vithanage who hasn’t done much to justify his place from the last two Tests.
Meanwhile, Pakistan will do two obvious changes as Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz are set to miss the second Test with opener Shan Masood who was in good form during Pakistan ‘A’ series set to take the guard along with Ahmed Shehzad.
Hafeez has been granted an Indian Visa after early rejection and will leave the country today to his bowling Test in Chennai after being reported for a suspect bowling action during the first Test in Galle.
Sri Lanka Squad : Angelo Mathews (Captain), Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Jehan Mubarak, Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Tharindu Kaushal, Dammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Suranga Lakmal
Pakistan squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (vc), Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Junaid Khan, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil.
“Sri Lanka will be without two of their big players for the first time from a long time and there won’t be a better opportunity for us to win the series,” said visiting skipper Misbah ul-Haq who made his intentions clear before the deciding Test.
Misbah also said that they too will be keen to go with three fast bowlers. He added that leg spinner Yasir Shah who has been threatening Sri Lanka right throughout the series is someone who could be effective at any venue. Pakistan’s most experienced player, Younis Khan has not clicked during the series as he usually does in Sri Lanka.
“No worries, he is a kind of player who could really score big runs from nowhere. From these sort of players, a big innings is always around the corner and that could be today (Friday),” said Misbah.
Either team who will win the series will occupy the number three position of the ranking which will be another reason for the two teams to go for the kill. Pakistan and Sri Lanka remain at number 6 and 7 respectively at the ranking with points 97 and 96 respectively.

Assam to host SAF Games

kit-sports editor — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 01:14:21 +0000

Assam and Meghalaya will jointly host the next edition of South Asian (SAF) Games, confirmed the Union Minister of State for Sports Sarbananda Sonowal.

“The next SAF Games will be held in Guwahati and Shillong,” reports quoted Sonowal as saying.
The IOA had recently offered Kerala the chance to host the SAF Games, after the Assam government expressed difficulty in hosting the games. However, the Union government, which takes the final call, has decided to hold the 12th South Asian Games in Guwahati and Shillong in November.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stated that the state government would extend full support to the Centre for the successful conduct of the SAF Games.
Apart from India, athletes from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take part in the games.