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Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique created history on Day 3 of second Test against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo. Shafique became the first visiting opener since West Indies’ Chris Gayle to score a double century on Sri Lankan soil. Gayle had scored 333 at Galle in 2010. Only other visiting opener to score a Test double ton is India’s Virender Sehwag who did it at Galle in 2008.
Shafique is only the second opener to score a double Test ton at the venue. Former Sri Lankan captain Marvan Attapattu scored an unbeaten 2001 against England in 2001.
The previous highest score by a Pakistan opener on Sri Lankan soil was 196 by Mohammad Hafeez at Colombo in 2012. In addition, the 23-year-old is the third-youngest Pakistan batter to score a double century in Test cricket.
Shafique plays the perfect anchor role
Starting the day at 178/2, Shafique got to his century from 147 deliveries. This is his fourth Test hundred. In the first session, skipper Babar Azam got trapped in front of the wickets by Prabath Jayasuriya. Azam scored 39 runs from 75 balls. This was the sixth time Azam got dismissed by Jayasuriya. No more wickets fell in the first session as Saud Shakeel joined Shafique in the middle.
The opener got to his 150 from 235 deliveries. After the new ball was taken, Shakeel got to his half-century but lost his wicket right after to Asitha Fernando. Shakeel scored 57 runs from 110 Shakeel became the first batter to score more than fifty runs in first seven matches of Test career. Sarfaraz Ahmed came out to bat but suffered concussion.
Agha Salman took the aggressive route whereas Shafique batted patiently. At the end of second session, Shafique was 10 runs away from the double century. After the tea break, Salman got to his half-century from 62 balls. Few overs later, Shafique got to his maiden double Test ton from 322 deliveries. He was dismissed by left-arm spinner Jayasuriya. Shafique scored 201 runs from 326 deliveries including 19 fours and four sixes.
After Shafique's wicket, concussion substitute Mohammad Rizwan walked out to bat. Salman got to his second Test hundred from 123 balls. At the end of the day, Pakistan were 563/5. Salman remained unbeaten for 132 off 148 balls. On the other end, Rizwan scored 37 runs from 61 deliveries.
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