Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka in a commanding position with a 323-run lead in 2nd Test vs Pakistan

The Pakistani shoulders dropped in the post-tea session as they look to be chasing another challenging target in the fourth innings for the second successive time.

By Chaitanya Prakash

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Dhananjaya de Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne
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Dhananjaya de Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Sri Lanka took a massive step towards levelling the series on an entertaining third day of the second Test against Pakistan at Galle on Tuesday. The hosts finished the day with 176/5 on the board, leading by 323 runs.

The day started with Pakistan being bundled out for 231 after resuming from their overnight score of 191/7. Hasan Ali (21 off 54) and Yasir Shah (26 off 97) made valiant contributions with the bat. Ramesh Mendis was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers and scalped his third fifer in Tests, while Prabath Jayasuriya returned with three wickets.

After gaining a massive 147-run lead, the Sri Lankan opening pair of Niroshan Dickwella and Oshada Fernando looked comfortable against the Pakistani quicks until the former, who was opening the batting instead of skipper Dimuth Karunaratne owing to a back injury, was sent back by the impressive Naseem Shah. The visitors continued their fightback and grabbed another two Sri Lankan wickets, restricting the hosts to 63/3 before drinks in the second session.

The hosts threatened to run away with the game with a stable partnership brewing between veteran Angelo Mathews and the in-form Dinesh Chandimal but an inspired change by Pakistani skipper Babar Azam saw Agha Salman remove the well-set Mathews and Chandimal followed suit after playing a lazy shot against Naseem.

Pakistan will feel they are still in the game following their record-breaking chase in the first Test

Sri Lankan skipper Karunaratne, who is nursing a back spasm, came out to bat no. 6 and looked uncomfortable at the crease, but has played through his pain and has stitched an invaluable unbroken 59 run-stand with Dhananjaya de Silva, who has played some counterattacking shots against the spinners. The play was halted 19 overs earlier than scheduled due to bad light as the hosts ended day three with a massive lead of 323 runs.

The Pakistani shoulders dropped in the post-tea session as they look to be chasing another challenging target in the fourth innings for the second successive time. The pitch isn’t doing too much, but the odd ball is producing a sharp turn, troubling the batters. Babar’s men are still in this contest and a commanding morning session on day four can turn the tide in their favour with considerable time left in the match.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

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