Pakistan grab wickets in historic home Test against Sri Lanka

Pakistan grab wickets in historic home Test against Sri Lanka.

RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Pakistan’s all-pace attack snared four key Sri Lankan wickets on Wednesday to buoy the crowd after skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss in the first Test of the two-match series and decided to bat first on a greenish pitch.

Shaheen Shah Afridi trapped Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne leg-before for 59 soon after lunch to trigger a collapse which saw the visitors lose four wickets within just 31 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

That saw Sri Lanka slump to 137-4 at tea after being well set at 89 without loss at lunch. Angelo Mathews was unbeaten on 14 and with him Dhananjaya de Silva not out on three.

Karunaratne hit nine boundaries in his 110-ball knock and set the platform. Once the opening stand of 96 was broken, 16-year-old pacer Naseem Shah had Oshada Fernando caught in the slip for 40, laced with six boundaries and a six.

Usman Shinwari also claimed his first wicket when Kusal Mendis edged him to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 10, while Mohammad Abbas bowled Dinesh Chandimal for two with a beautiful delivery.

The match is a momentous occasion for Pakistan. There was applause when Pakistan captain Azhar Ali tossed the coin in the air to open proceedings as cricket returned to Pakistan after a decade.

Spirit of cricket #PAKvSL LIVE: https://t.co/DT67QDtD80 + @TheRealPCB_Live pic.twitter.com/7l21RhfOQ1

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 11, 2019

National anthems of both countries were played before the play started on the historic day. The Rawalpindi stadium is hosting a Test match after a gap of 15 years. The last match here was played between Pakistan and India in April 2004.

Pakistan gradually revived international cricket with limited-overs matches against Zimbabwe, World XI, the West Indies and Sri Lanka over the last four years as security situation improved in the country. 

Abid Ali and Usman Shinwari are making their Test debuts for Pakistan. Dinesh Chandimal has made a comeback to the playing XI for Sri Lanka after losing captaincy earlier this year.

Imam-ul-Haq and Yasir Shah have been left out of Pakistan squad whereas Fawad Alam, who has been recalled to the Test team after ten years, is also not included in final XI. The 34-year-old has to wait at least for one more match to play for the national side.

Teams

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (capt.), Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Usman Khan Shinwari, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi

The second and final match of the series will be played at the National Stadium Karachi from December 19-23. Karachi last hosted Pakistan and Sri Lanka Test in February 2009.

with inputs from AFP