PAK v SL, 1st Test, Day 4 Review: Bowlers keep Pakistan alive as Sri Lanka totter in the final stages

In what appeared to be a dead rubber contest for a while, Pakistan pulled things back brilliantly with the ball which sets up beautifully for the final day. The tottering Lankan lions showed no great perseverance with the bat in the final session, which might cost them quite a hefty price on Monday.

Pakistan had a huge task cut out after they had lost Babar Azam off the final ball of the third day. Azhar Ali, who compiled a beautiful knock on day 3, resisted only 10 overs on Sunday and was dismissed by the veteran Rangana Herath. Haris Sohail fought a solo battle with the tail after skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed tried to emulate Niroshan Dickwella’s knock on day 2 and that backfired.

The 28-year-old southpaw stitched crucial stands with tailenders and this helped Pakistan stretch their first innings total. The home side was 8 wickets down with 340 runs on the board and Sohail put up a 50-run partnership with Hasan Ali, who clobbered a 25-ball 29, which included 3 sixes and 2 fours. Sohail completed his fifty in the second session and the lad showed great vigilance whilst facing the spinners.

After Hasan Ali fell, Sohail added 32 runs for the final wicket with Mohammad Abbas whilst the latter only managed 1 run in the partnership. He took the majority of the strike and helped them clinch first innings lead out of nowhere. With Nuwan Pradeep picking up Sohail’s wicket, their innings came to a close with Pakistan scoring 422 in 162.3 overs. They had a slender 3-run lead going into the second innings.

Spinners add life to the game

The lead was just 3 runs and only 130 odd overs were left in the game. The first Test at Abu Dhabi was clearly heading towards a stalemate and only something outrageous would’ve inflicted a result. No one knows what Sarfraz said in the dressing room to his boys, but once they came out, they were full of positive vibes and energy.

The Islanders clearly wanted to play out the remaining overs, but that seems too far-fetched for them currently. Fast bowlers started off brilliantly in the second innings, but luck didn’t favor them. It didn’t happen with the spinners though as they provided crucial scalps immediately after they came in.

The Lankan collapse began with Yasir Shah sending Dimuth Karunaratne back. A brilliant piece of leg-spin bowling gifted an easy catch at forward short-leg to Shan Masood. Lahiru Thirimanne found it really difficult to survive in the middle and he didn’t last long. Asad Shafiq, who usually doesn’t bowl a lot, came in to replace the injured Hasan Ali and provided the second breakthrough.

The player of the day Harris Sohail wanted to inflict further damage on his opponents and he did so with the ball. Kaushal Silva tried to sweep off a full delivery and the ball crashed into his pads. The umpire had no other intentions but raising the fingers and Pakistan started smelling victory from here.

Sri Lanka had some hopes of survival as they had Dinesh Chandimal at the crease. He made a clear statement that their side was not going to do anything extravagant but try to defend the remaining overs out. But that’s a very difficult task to materialize on a turning track and it didn’t take a long time for him to realize that.

The biggest blow of the day came in the 36th over of the day when Yasir Shah sent the Lankan skipper back, with just over a couple of overs remaining in the day. Sharp turn from Shah deceived the skipper and he edged it straight to the slips. Nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal and Kusal Mendis played out the remaining overs but a major threat lies ahead on the final day.

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka first innings: 419 all-out in 154.5 overs

Pakistan first innings: 422 all-out in 162.3 overs (Azhar Ali 85, Haris Sohail 76; Rangana Herath 5/93)

Sri Lanka second innings: 69/4 in 40 overs (Yasir Shah 2/25)