Left-arm-spinner Prabath Jayasuriya (player of the series) continued his dream start to Test cricket (29 wickets in three Tests) as his five-wicket haul earned Sri Lanka a comprehensive 246-run win in the second match of the ICC World Test Championship series against Pakistan at the Galle International Stadium on Thursday. Sri Lanka’s win tied the two-match series 1-1. The Babar Azam-led Pakistan had won the first Test by four wickets last week.
The defeat has sent Pakistan to the number five spot in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 rankings while Sri Lanka have moved up to number three.
On Thursday – day-five of the Test, Pakistan resumed their second innings in pursuit of the 508-run record target at 89 for one and had to endure a big blow on the 13th ball of the day.
Opener Imam-ul-Haq fell one short of his half-century with Ramesh Mendis inducing an edge that was neatly held by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. Imam’s 49 was compiled off 90 balls and included four fours.
Mohammad Rizwan joined Babar and ensured that Pakistan continue to keep the scoreboard moving with an enterprising approach of strike rotation and the odd boundary whenever an opportunity appeared.
The pair added 79 runs for the third-wicket while weathering some anxious moments before Rizwan was bowled by Jayasuriya while offering no-shot to a ball that straightened after pitching.
Rizwan scored 37 off 69 balls (six fours), his dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse as Pakistan lost Fawad Alam (1) and Salman Ali Agha (4) by lunch. Fawad was run out while attempting a quick single while Salman was brilliantly caught at short-leg by Kusal Mendis off Jayasuriya.
Pakistan took lunch at 188 for five, 320 runs short of the target.
Once play resumed, Jayasuriya delivered a series of probing overs and was eventually rewarded with the prized wicket of Babar who fell lbw for 81 in the 66th over of the innings, prior to the dismissal, Babar was dropped in the slips in Jayasuriya’s previous over.
Babar’s typically elegant innings included six fours and one six, he faced 146 balls.
Mohammad Nawaz (12) was caught in the covers while attempting a big hit off Ramesh Mendis. Yasir Shah scored a quickfire 27 (25 balls, six fours) before falling to Jayasuriya with Kusal Mendis taking a sharp catch.
Hasan Ali (11) was bowled by Ramesh Mendis in the next over.
The match ended when Naseem Shah was caught at the mid-wicket boundary off Ramesh Mendis for 18 off 21 balls. Pakistan were bowled out for 261 in 77 overs.
Jayasuriya bowled 32 overs and conceded 117 runs for his five-fer. Ramesh Mendis took four for 101 in 30 overs.
Dhananjaya de Silva who scored a century in the second innings and led Sri Lanka on the field in the absence of the injured Dimuth Karunaratne was named player of the match.
Scores in brief:
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 246 runs
Sri Lanka 378 all out, 103 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 80, Niroshan Dickwella 51, Oshada Fernando 50; Naseem Shah 3-58, Yasir Shah 3-83) and 360 for 8, 91.5 overs (Dhananjaya de Silva 109, Dimuth Karunaratne 61, Ramesh Mendis 45 not out; Naseem Shah 2-44, Mohammad Nawaz 2-75)
Pakistan 231 all out, 88.1 overs (Salman Ali Agha 62, Imam-ul-Haq 32; Ramesh Mendis 5-47, Prabath Jayasuriya 3-80) and 89 for 1, 28 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 46 not out, Babar Azam 26 not out; Prabath Jayasuriya 1-46) and 261 all out, 77 overs (Babar Azam 81, Imam-ul-Haq 49, Mohammad Rizwan 37; Prabath Jayasuriya 5-117, Ramesh Mendis 4-101)
Player of the Match: Dhananjaya de Silva
Player of the Series: Prabath Jayasuria
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