Sri Lanka score 185 for five at tea in first Test against Pakistan in Galle
Cricket
Shaheen Afridi takes his 100th wicket
GALLE (Web Desk) – Host Sri Lanka were playing at 185 with five wickets down when play was stopped for tea break on Sunday in the first Test match against Pakistan.
Shaheen Afridi took three wickets and also achieved the milestone of grabbing 100 wickets in Test macthces.
Earlier, play was halted due to rain in first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka when host team was one wicket down with only 18 runs on board.
Host Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first in the first Test match against visiting Pakistan side.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka will play two-Test series. A year after his freak injury, Shaheen is back playing Test cricket as Pakistan search for a win after four losses and two draws.
Several spells of showers were predicted for Sunday. While Sri Lanka have played six of their last eight Tests in Galle, Pakistan's form in the longest format will be their biggest concern
Pakistan side will be:
1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Shan Masood, 4 Babar Azam (capt), 5 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 6 Saud Shakeel, 7 Agha Salman, 8 Nauman Ali, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Abrar
Ahmed, 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi
While the Sri Lanka side will be:
1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Nishan Madhushka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), 8 Ramesh
Mendis, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Vishwa Fernando
Apart from the ICC World Test Championship matches, Pakistan is also scheduled to participate in the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the next 12 months. With all-format back-to-back international cricket lined-up, a good and strong start in Galle is what Babar Azam and his side will be aiming for.
Galle is a venue where Pakistan and Sri Lanka have achieved mixed results. In the seven Tests to date, Sri Lanka have won four times (2009, 2012, 2014 and 2022), while Pakistan have won thrice – by an innings and 163 runs (2000), 10 wickets (2015) and four wickets (2022).
When Pakistan last won in Galle 12 months ago, the tourists chased down the 342-run target for the loss of six wickets with Abdullah Shafique scoring a memorable 160 not out and Babar Azam following up his 119 in the first innings with 55.
Amongst the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi took four wickets in the first innings before he was injured during the second innings and was ruled out of further participation. However, best bowling figures of five for 88 from Mohammad Nawaz and Yasir Shah’s three for 122 combined in the second innings to share wickets.
From the current squad, 13 players were part of the side that toured Sri Lanka 12 months ago. The three newcomers are all-rounder Aamir Jamal, mystery-spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle-order batter Mohammad Huraira.
“Really excited to be back in red-ball format and all eyes are on the Galle Test as we are prepared and ready for the challenge,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said, adding: “We are taking one step at a time, but we have to be consistent across all formats.
“One of the positives going into the Galle Test is 13 of our players were here 12 months ago. Abrar Ahmed has identified himself as a good option in our combination. I am sure this tour will be a good learning curve for him as we have high hopes from him in this and future series.
“I am particularly pleased with the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi. Besides his wicket-taking abilities, his presence always motivates and lifts the side. I know Shaheen has badly missed red-ball cricket and is now hungry for Test cricket.”
Shaheen is sitting on 99 Test wickets and will aim to become the fourth fastest Pakistan fast bowler to complete a century of wickets. He could have achieved this feat last year had he not been sidelined due to a knee injury.
Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel scored half-centuries, while Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Aamir Jamal took wickets against the SLC Board XI in Hambantota.
“Like any host country, Sri Lanka will like to play to their strength, which is spin bowling. We have had good feedback about the Sri Lanka side from their former coach Mickey Arthur and I think we are well prepared to take them on. We will stick to basics and be patient as this is Test cricket, which is a test of skills, temperament and stamina.
“Test results in the past 12 months may not have been in our favour, but we have definitely developed and grown as a side.”
Babar Azam is the holder of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year for 2022. He has to date scored 3,696 runs in 47 Tests with nine centuries and 26 half-centuries. He is the only cricketers to feature inside the top-three across all formats – third in Tests, first in ODIs and second in T20Is.
