The third day of the second Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka witnessed a dominant batting display by the Pakistani side, led by Abdullah Shafique’s magnificent maiden double century and Salman Ali Agha’s impressive second century. At stumps, Pakistan found themselves in a commanding position at 563 for five in 132 overs, holding a substantial lead of 397 runs over Sri Lanka.
Resuming their first innings at an overnight score of 178 for two, Pakistan lost their captain, Babar Azam, who added 11 runs to his overnight score, making 39 runs in total (75 balls, 4 fours, 1 six). After Babar’s departure in the 48th over, the first Test’s double centurion, Saud Shakeel, joined Abdullah Shafique, and together, they formed a formidable partnership, adding 109 runs for the fourth wicket. During his 57-run innings, Saud Shakeel achieved the distinction of becoming the only batsman in the world to score six half-centuries in seven Test matches, along with two centuries.
Following Saud’s dismissal, wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed (14, 22 balls, 3 fours) unfortunately faced a bouncer from Asitha Fernando in the 86th over, resulting in a head injury that forced him to retire. He was later substituted with Mohammad Rizwan, who came in as a concussion substitute.
The highlight of the innings, however, was Abdullah Shafique’s remarkable performance as he crafted a brilliant 201 runs off 326 balls, adorned with 19 fours and four sixes. His maiden double century laid a solid foundation for Pakistan’s dominant position in the match. Salman Ali Agha then took charge after Abdullah’s departure and proved his mettle, scoring an unbeaten 132 runs off 148 balls, featuring 15 fours and one six. Together with Mohammad Rizwan, Agha forged an unbroken partnership of 95 runs for the sixth wicket.
As the day came to a close, Pakistan showcased their batting prowess, leaving Sri Lanka struggling to find a breakthrough. The Pakistani side demonstrated remarkable resilience and control, amassing an enormous total of 563 for five.
Brief Scores (Day 3 of 5):
Sri Lanka: 166 all out in 48.4 overs (Dhananjaya de Silva 57, Dinesh Chandimal 34, Ramesh Mendis 27; Abrar Ahmed 4-69, Naseem Shah 3-41, Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-44)
Pakistan: 563-5 in 132 overs (Abdullah Shafique 201, Salman Ali Agha 132 not out, Saud Shakeel 57, Shan Masood 51, Babar Azam 39, Mohammad Rizwan 37 not out; Asitha Fernando 3-133, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-181)
The outstanding performances by Abdullah Shafique and Salman Ali Agha have firmly placed Pakistan in a position of strength as they look to continue their dominant display on the following days of the Test match.
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