Hafeez and Shehzad bat for the majority of the two sessions required on day five after Sri Lanka set Pakistan an unlikely 302 to win

by PakPassion Staff (4th January 2014)

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


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

Sri Lanka started the day with five wickets in hand and a lead of 241 runs. Dinesh Chandimal had stated Sri Lanka would be pushing for a win on day five but captain Angelo Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene batted with little urgency, picking off the bad deliveries but showing no intent to increase the scoring rate. Mathews had been on 116 overnight and went past his first score of 150 in Test cricket, with Sri Lanka declaring as the lead passed 300. Prasanna Jaywardene also contributed an unbeaten 163.


Sri Lanka didn't lose a wicket before their declaration, a position emphasising the placid nature of the pitch and would have given the Pakistani batsmen some heart as they came out to face the remaining two and a bit sessions to save the match. Despite the favourable batting conditions, the importance of the innings by Mathews on the result of the match should not be underestimated - he came in with Sri Lanka starting day four on 186/4 and his side leading by just seven runs.

The Pakistan openers came out for a teasing five overs before lunch but negotiated them without any casualties. Pakistan 20/0, Khurram Manzoor 8, Ahmed Shehzad 12 at lunch.

Pakistan lost Khurram Manzoor in the second over in the afternoon session, to Lakmal who was rewarded for some accurate bowling by inducing an edge behind to keeper Jayawardene. Manzoor has struggled since his big century against South Africa and Pakistan will be hoping the opener can build on some of the starts he has been making soon, particularly given the Tests are being played in the UAE on pitches offering little lateral movement.

The Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad pairing had troubled Sri Lanka in the limited overs series and they continued batting together as Pakistan lost no more wickets, the two batsmen playing positively but never threatening to attack the total set by the Sri Lankans.

There was a shout for caught behind against Mohammad Hafeez off Rangana Herath close to the interval and the Sri Lankans referred the decision with no success. Debutant Ahmed Shehzad, who has looked comfortable on debut despite previously being pigeonholed as a limited overs batsman, registered his first Test half-century with a four off the final ball before Tea.

At Tea Pakistan were 118/1 with Mohammad Hafeez on 56 and Ahmed Shehzad 53 an still needing an unlikely 184 runs for victory.

Ahmed Shehzad (55) was the only dismissal in the final session of the match as he was rapped on the pads attempting a sweep shot off Rangana Herath and the experienced duo of Younis Khan and Mohammad Hafeez carried to the draw. Hafeez will also have been pleased with the 80 runs he scored as he looked fluent and calm at the crease against all of the Sri Lankan bowlers.

With Pakistan on 158/2 and the game meandering to a draw, both sides agreed to end the game with almost 15 overs remaining.

Day Five: Fall Of Wickets

Morning Session
None

Afternoon Session
1-24 Khurram Manzoor, 6.3 overs

Evening Session
2-125 Ahmed Shehzad, 37.3 overs

A match from which both sides can draw positives - Bilawal Bhatti and Junaid Khan are likely to remain a threat for the series and Sri Lanka would be pleased to have ended up with a strong batting performance despite the failures of the big two, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

As with most Tests, the pitch had the final say in the result of the game, with only three wickets falling on days four and five.

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