Two fantastic spells of bowling from Junaid Khan and debutant Bilawal Bhatti put Pakistan in firm control of the first Test in Abu Dhabi.

by Pakpassion Staff (31st December 2013)

Toss: Pakistan won the toss and chose to field

Teams:

Pakistan: 1. Khurram Manzoor, 2. Ahmed Shehzad, 3. Mohammad Hafeez, 4. Younis Khan, 5. Misbah-ul-Haq (c), 6. Asad Shafiq, 7. Adnan Akmal (wk), 8. Bilawal Bhatti, 9. Rahat Ali, 10. Saeed Ajmal, 11. Junaid Khan, Adnan Akmal†, Bilawal Bhatti, Rahat Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan


Sri Lanka: 1. Dimuth Karunaratne, 2. Kaushal Silva, 3. Kumar Sangakkara, 4. Mahela Jayawardene, 5. Dinesh Chandimal, 6. Angelo Mathews, 7. Prasanna Jayawardene, 8. Sachitra Senanayake, 9. Rangana Herath, 10. Shaminda Eranga 11. Suranga Lakmal 

 

Pakistan would have been hopeful of taking early wickets on a pitch with a greenish tinge, but it was the Sri Lankans who started well, with openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva looking secure against the opening bowlers Junaid Khan and Rahat Ali. They scored a boundary off seven of the first ten overs before Bilawal Bhatti and Ajmal exerted some control over proceedings. Karunaratne was the aggressor, hitting five boundaries but he was out for 38 as he cut in the air towards Asad Shafiq at gully, who took a blinder to leave Sri Lanka 66/1 at the interval, with Silva on 20 and Kumar Sangakkara on 8. 

 

Pakistan must have enjoyed their lunch, as they came out for in the afternoon and picked up seven wickets the 20-odd overs bowled in the session. It was debutant Bilawal Bhatti who was the instigator, having Silva caught behind off a delivery bowled just short of a length off the third ball after the interval with Hafeez the catcher at first slip. His ability to extract bounce despite a short frame has been a feature of his bowling since he made his Pakistan debut against South Africa, and he troubled the Sri Lankan batsmen throughout the day.

In Bhatti's next over, Jayawardene flicked a legside delivery fine off his pads for four off the first ball. However worse was to come next ball when Jayawardene edged a catch to keeper Adnan Akmal, who had a very good day with the gloves, only for it to be adjudged a no-ball. Unperturbed, the 22-year-old came back and nailed his man next ball, again caught by the wicket keeper and the experienced right-hander playing his first Test for almost a year had to make his way back to the pavilion for just 5. A ball later Bhatti removed Dinesh Chandimal (0) and Sri Lanka had slipped from 66/1 to 76/4 in the space of two Bhatti overs.

Junaid Khan continued to bowl accurately at the other end, nipping the ball both ways and got the prize wicket of Kumar Sangakkara after Sri Lanka had added just six runs since the Chandimal wicket, as the left-hander who averages over 80 against Pakistan seemingly lost his concentration and drove a good length delivery to Ahmed Shehzad at point. It was good reward for Junaid, who had bowled a probing spell after lunch.

Mathews signalled his intentions by hitting Bhatti for three fours in the over but Sri Lanka continued to lose wickets at the other end, Junaid completing his fourth five-wicket haul in just 14 Tests, having Jayawardene (5) caught behind and then taking two in two balls, inducing an edge from Senanayake and then bowling Herath first ball with a wonderful inswinger. Sri Lanka were 124/8 at this point and Mathews, looking comfortable was running out of partners. 

Mathews found support in the form of Eranga and Sri Lanka went into to at 167/8, with Mathews on 57 and on Eranga 12.

 

Junaid and Bhatti were rested in the final session and Rahat Ali and Saeed Ajmal opened the bowling after Tea. Sri Lanks, in paticular Mathews, continued to accumulate runs and scored two boundaries of a Rahat over, stepping out and lofting him for four and then pulling to the fence one ball later.

Ajmal removed Eranga as he cut a delivery to Adnan Akmal for 14 and a few overs later to end the 61-run stand with Mathews. The star spinner struck again, befuddling Mathews with a doosra which the batsman walked past and was stumped. Mathews made 91 off 127 balls and had helped Sri Lanka reach 200, Pakistan bowling out Sri Lanka for 204 in 65 overs. 

The Pakistani openers looked comfortable in the 19 overs they had to face before stumps, with Khurram Manzoor collecting three boundaries and Ahmed Shehzad, making his Test debut, 25 before miscommunication resulted in Manzoor being run out in the final over before close of play, as Pakistan ended on 46/1, trailing by 158 runs. 

Sri Lanka 1st Innings Fall Of Wickets

1-57 Karunaratne, 19.3 overs, 
2-67 Silva, 26.4 overs, 
3-76 DPMD Jayawardene, 28.2 overs, 
4-76 Chandimal, 28.4 overs, 
5-82 Sangakkara, 31.6 overs, 
6-104 HAPW Jayawardene, 35.5 overs, 
7-124 Senanayake, 39.2 overs, 
8-124 Herath, 39.3 overs, 
9-185 Eranga, 58.3 overs, 
10-204 Mathews, 64.6 overs

Pakistan 1st Innings Fall Of Wickets

1-46 Khurram Manzoor, 18.1 overs
 

A wonderful display of fast bowling by Junaid Khan (5/58) and Bilawal Bhatti (3/33) ensured Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to a below-par 204. In reply, the Pakistani openers looked comfortable before Manzoor was run out in the final over of the day.


Day Two: 

1st Test: Pakistan v Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi starting on 1 January 2014, 06:00 GMT.

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