GALLE – Young Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi led a devastating bowling assault in routing the hosts who were restricted to 222 in the opening Test on Saturday.
Shaheen drew first blood by outclassing Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne in the third over of the innings. Later, Yasir Shah and Hasan Ali took the other wickets and the hosts lost four till lunch break with the score being 80/4.
The visitors dominated the second session as well and picked another four wickets to see Sri Lanka struggling to even get past 200.
4️⃣ wickets for @iShaheenAfridi as he spearheads a top bowling performance by Pakistan! 💪
Sri Lanka are all out for 222 ⚡
📸: @OfficialSLC #SLvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen https://t.co/0pNhVKgmR3 pic.twitter.com/t4MrImoSN5
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 16, 2022
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first against Pakistan in the first game of the two-match series at Galle International Cricket Stadium today [Saturday].
Pakistan have unveiled their line-up for the first Test where all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will make his debut.
Salman was added to the 18-player squad for this series following an impressive run in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class tournament in the last three years. In 18 matches, since 2019-20 season, the right-hander has scored 1,629 runs at a strong average of 56.19. The 28-year-old has smashed five centuries and eight half-centuries. His off-spin snared 25 wickets.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz will also return to the side in the first Test. Yasir – who was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-1 Test series win in 2015, snaring 24 wickets – will play his first Test since August 2021 after recovering from a thumb injury.
Mohammad Nawaz will return after almost six years as the 28-year-old last played a Test in November 2016.
Though Pakistan returned with a series win 2-1 the last time they toured the island nation in 2015, Sri Lanka, following their comeback win against Australia at the very same venue, promise to pose a tough challenge to the visitors. Pakistan captain Babar Azam, however, feels Pakistan are well prepared for the challenge.
The two matches are of significance for both sides as they form part of the ICC World Test Championship. Sri Lanka, following their series levelling win earlier in the week, are sitting third on the nine-team table with 54.17 win percentage points, while Pakistan, with 52.38, are just a rung below.
Babar is the top run-getter for Pakistan in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle with 682 at an average of 62. He has made a century – that second innings 196 in that epic draw against Australia in Karachi – and five half-centuries. The bowling charts are dominated by tall pacer Shaheen Afridi who has 37 scalps – including two five-fers – at 18.02 runs per dismissal.
“Our preparations have been very good and we are ready for the Test series,” Babar said while speaking to PCB Digital ahead of a practice session on the eve of the Test series. “The warm-up match helped us in getting used to the Sri Lankan conditions, and our camps in Rawalpindi and Lahore also played a role in preparing us for the series. We have worked hard and put in the effort.”
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc, wk), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi and Yasir Shah
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella (Wk), Dinesh Chandimal (Wk), Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay
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