Babar Azam-led Pakistan are 83 runs away from starting their World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 campaign with a win over Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium, Galle. Chasing a target of 131, Pakistan lost three wickets in the last session of Day 4 but they have enough batting to come to make it a comprehensive win.
Earlier, starting Day 4 at 14/0, openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Nishan Madushka hit few boundaries against pacers. Azam introduced Abrar Ahmad and in his second over he delivered with the wicket of Agha Salman who scored 20 runs from 27 balls. Kusal Mendis played himself in but was trapped in front of the stumps by Noman Ali. Mendis scored 18 runs. Ali struck again as Azam took a stunner at first slip. Angelo Mathews departed for a single-digit score. Sri Lanka lost three wickets and scored 80 runs in the first session.
Just after the lunch break, Nishan Madushka got to his half-century from 108 deliveries. In the next over, he became Ali's third victim of the day. Sarfaraz Ahmed took an easy catch as Madushka edged one in an attempt to drive the fuller delivery. The opener scored 52 runs from 115 balls including seven fours and one six. Centurion of Sri Lanka's first innings, Dhananjaya de Silva batted with positive intent and shared a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Agha Salman broke the partnership in his first spell. Imam-ul-Haq took a stunning catch at short mid-wicket to end his stay at the crease. Chandimal scored 28 runs from 64 balls. Sadeera Samarawickrama attacked Salman with two boundaries. But Salman had the last laugh. An inside edge went to short leg fielder Abdullah Shafique who took a one-handed stunner. He contributed with a run-a-ball 11. Silva got to his half-century from 71 balls. Ramesh Mendis supported him well as they took Sri Lanka's score past 200 before tea break.
The seventh-wicket partnership continued to frustrate Pakistan bowlers in the third session. Ramesh missed a chance to score his half-century. He got out lbw to Abrar just before the new ball was due. He scored 42 runs from 79 balls including three fours and one six. As Azam opted for the new ball, Dhananjaya smashed Shaheen Afridi for back-to-back boundaries. Dhananjaya looked to play square of the wicket but all he could manage was an outside edge that landed safely in Sarfaraz's gloves. He missed a chance to score another century in the Test. He scored 82 runs from 118 balls including 10 fours and two sixes. The Sri Lanka tail did not wag as Afridi and Abrar took one wicket each to end Sri Lanka's innings for 279.
In the run chase of 131, Pakistan opener Shafique fell to left-arm spinner Prabhath Jayasuriya for a single-digit score. Few overs later, Jayasuriya got the wicket of Shan Masood as well to give Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope. Then Ali got run out after a huge mix-up with Imam. He got out for a seven-ball duck. In the last over of the day, there was a massive appeal against Azam but he survived. Pakistan had 48/3 after 15 overs. They need 83 more runs to take a 1-0 lead.
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