PAK v SL, 2nd Test, 4th day Review: Pakistan cruise in the final stages; A flabbergasting finish well on cards

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have together produced some unbelievable cricket this series and they set things up beautifully for an action-packed final day. After conceding a 220-run First innings lead, the hosts looked well out of the game but they bounced back beautifully by bowling out Sri Lanka for 96. They need another 119 runs to win the Test match and the without a shadow of a doubt, this series will get a mind-boggling finish no matter who wins.

Resuming their innings at 34/5, Niroshan Dickwella straight away banged a couple of boundaries in the very first over of the game. He was looking in fine nick and doing what he does best, he tried to up the ante and help his side get a 300+ second innings lead. Yet, he couldn’t build a long innings as he was dismissed by Wahab Riaz and interestingly, the first five balls of that over went for 9 runs.

Yasir Shah got another wicket just two balls later as Dilruwan Perera was gone for a first-ball duck. Rangana Herath atypically struck two boundaries off the first two balls he faced. They kept inching closer towards the 300-run lead and Kusal Mendis struck two boundaries in a row to take them past the 300 mark. There were a few boundaries after that as well, but Haris Sohail came into the attack to pick three wickets in an over and wrap their innings up for 96.

Sri Lanka posted a 317-run target and things were evenly poised before the home side’s innings commenced. All thanks to a spectacular rendition from their bowlers, Pakistan provided a moment of brilliance which shall be remembered for a long time.

Top order collapses; Shafiq-Sarfraz perform a miracle

Chasing down 318 runs, which expert would give a chance to a side who are reduced to 52/5 at one point. Pakistan faced a similar situation on day 4, but the way they pounded hard on the visitors in the final session was truly remarkable.

Sami Aslam was dismissed way too soon and after his wicket, a 35-run partnership followed. Nuwan Pradeep provided the second wicket by sending back the on song Azhar Ali. Dilruwan Perera then started breathing fire with an extraordinary spell of wrist spin as he rode their lineup down underground atrociously.

Haris Sohail was the first of his victims and he followed it up with two wickets in his next over. Half of Pakistan’s men were back in the green room and all they could hope was a miracle at Dubai to save them. Tha’s exactly what happened as skipper Sarfraz Khan and Asad Shafiq added a flabbergasting partnership for the sixth wicket.

The duo added 146 runs for the 6th and took Pakistan from the jaws of a humiliating defeat to getting closer to script a memorable win. With Asad Shafiq being the aggressor, the skipper played an outstanding second fiddle and both the players completed well-deserved half-centuries. Asad Shafiq is batting on 86 off 141 balls and the skipper has remained unbeaten on 57 off 113 balls.

The first session of the final day will be indispensably crucial for both the sides and if Sri Lanka manages to pick up one more wicket before the required runs get to double digits, it will be game on and how wonderful a finish that would be for this breathtaking Test series.

Brief Scores

FIRST INNINGS

Sri Lanka: 482 all out in 159.2 overs (Karunaratne 196; Yasir Shah 6/184)

Pakistan: 262 all out in 90.3 overs (Azhar Ali 59, Haris Sohail 56; Dilruwan Perera 3/72)

SECOND INNINGS

Sri Lanka: 96 all out in 26 overs (Wahab Riaz 4/41, Haris Sohail 3/1)

Pakistan: 198/5 in 73 overs (Asad Shafiq 86, Sarfraz Ahmed 57; Dilruwan Perera 3/76)