Placeholder canvas

Sarfraz, Shafiq frustrate Sri Lanka in Test

Date:

Sarfraz Ahmed once again stood in Sri Lanka’s way as he and Asad Shafiq led Pakistan’s fightback on the scheduled fourth day of the first Test in Galle on Saturday.

The pair put on 139 for the sixth wicket as the tourists, resuming at 118-5 and still 182 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 300, went to lunch on a more comfortable 259-6.

Sarfraz, a wicket-keeper who relishes a challenge with the bat, scored 96 off 86 balls in a stand that was studded with 13 hits to the fence.

Sarfraz narrowly missed his fourth Test century when he ambitiously attempted to sweep a ball from seamer Dhammika Prasad that was pitched outside the off-stump and dragged the ball onto his stumps.

Shafiq was unbeaten at the break on a fluent 64 and Wahab Riaz was on eight, with Pakistan only 41 runs behind with four wickets in hand.

Sarfraz and Shafiq had joined hands on Friday evening after the fall of skipper Misbah-ul Haq’s wicket that left Pakistan struggling at 96-5.

Sarfraz’s latest effort followed his impressive batting during the previous series between the two teams in Sri Lanka last year when he scored 55 and 52 in the Galle Test and 103 and 55 in the next match in Colombo.

When Sarfraz reached 47, he had completed 1,000 Test runs in 28 innings to equal Imtiaz Ahmed’s record of being the fastest to the mark among Pakistani wicket-keepers.

Bad weather had washed out the entire first day’s play on Wednesday and just 64 overs were bowled on the second day due to a wet outfield.

The three-Test series will be followed by five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

NIA Arrests One Key Conspirator In Rameshwaram Cafe Blast Case

New Delhi: In a significant development in the investigation...

H1B Visa: USCIS Gears Up For Lottery Selection For Fy-25

Due to a technical issue with its website, the USCIS delayed the deadline for visa applications for the financial year 2025 by three days from March 22nd to March 25th, 2024

To Browbeat And Bully Others Is Vintage Congress Culture: PM Modi After 600 Lawyers Write CJI

New Delhi: In response to the voiced apprehensions of...

Allu Arjun’s ‘Pushpa’ Saga: Trilogy Confirmed with ‘The Roar’ Title

As the dust settles from the electrifying release of...