GALLE – Lankan batter Oshada Fernando and star hitter Dinesh Chandimal smash half-centuries to drive hosts to 315-6 on the opening day of the second test against Pakistan.
Chandimal, a hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman, returned on 80, after hitting his fourth half-century. He made a 75-run fourth-wicket stand with Angelo Mathews, who fell wanting fifty in his landmark hundredth.
Pakistani pacer Mohammad Nawaz got 2 scalps of Oshada Fernando, who made 50, and Chandimal.
An eventful opening day 🔥@mnawaz94 and @iNaseemShah struck key blows in the final hour 👏#SLvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/rzOIw39lMP
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 24, 2022
The visitors were expected to be in a better position however fielding from Men in Green was not up to the mark. Skipper Babar Azam dropped two catches, including one from Niroshan Dickwella who was batting on a run-a-ball 42.
Later, Dhananjaya de Silva was bowled by Naseem Shah after scoring 33 runs in 61 balls.
Niroshan Dickwella 42 (43) and Dunith Wellalage 6 (9) are at the crease and will continue play on the second day.
Earlier, The Lions got off to a strong start with Oshawa (50) and Dimuth Karunaratne (40) combining in a 92-run opening stand.
Pakistan is taking the field without their premier fast bowler Shaheen Afridi after he was ruled out of the second Test because of a knee injury sustained on the fourth day of the first Test. With the Galle surface providing assistance to spin bowlers, Pakistan earlier included Nauman Ali in the XI and have decided to go with two fast bowlers.
Babar-led squad has a 1-0 lead in the two-tests series following their thrilling four-wicket victory in the series opener.
PAKvSL: Babar Azam achieves another milestone in Test cricket
