Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 1st Test Stats Review: Abdullah Shafique's century, Pakistan's record chase, and other stats

Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in the first Test at the Galle International Stadium. It was a closely fought contest throughout the five days, with the visitors emerging as the winners in the end. In the first innings, both teams suffered an early collapse before Dinesh Chandimal, and Babar Azam stuck with the tail to take them to respectable totals. Sri Lanka then had fifties from Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis before another brilliant resilient knock from Dinesh Chandimal set a target in excess of 340. Pakistan chased it with Abdullah Shafique standing firmly at one end with good support from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Earlier in the game, Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and chose to bat first. Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and Yasir Shah began to take wickets straightaway as the hosts were reduced to 133/8. It was Dinesh Chandimal who changed the course of the match with good support from the No. 10 Maheesh Theekshana and No. 11 Kasun Rajitha. His counter-attacking knock of 76 took the hosts to 222. The twenty-two year old pacer Shaheen Afridi took four wickets as he inched closer to 100 Test wickets.

Pakistan’s first innings which followed, was highly similar to that of Sri Lanka. Prabath Jayasuriya who picked 12 wickets on debut, continued to pick wickets in his second match at the same ground. He took another five-wicket haul which reduced Pakistan to 85/7. Babar Azam had been the sole resistance for Pakistan, and he capitalized on the knock to score an outstanding hundred. Despite the wickets falling, he played his natural game to end up with a well-fought 117, that made sure the deficit was just four runs.

In Sri Lanka’s second innings, Mohammad Nawaz took two quick wickets as he dismissed Kasun Rajitha and Dimuth Karunaratne LBW. Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis then put a 81-run partnership, which built the platform for a respectable target to be set. After a few more quick wickets, Dinesh Chandimal played yet another counter-attacking knock, scoring 94, which helped Sri Lanka set a massive target of 342. Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, promoted to open the bowling, took a five-wicket haul.

Pakistan began the chase on a positive note, as Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq shared an 87-run opening stand. Though Imam-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali were soon out in quick succession, Shafique stood firm at one end and shared crucial partnerships with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan that decided the game. After two late wickets and a rain delay, Pakistan eventually won by four wickets.

Meanwhile, here are some of the important stats and numbers from the 1st Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan

3 – Prabath Jayasuriya became the third bowler and the second spinner to take a five-wicket haul in each of the first three innings of his Test career. The first two to do it were Alec Bedser and Clarrie Grimmett.

1 – Only once Pakistan chased a higher total in Test cricket when compared to this match. This was when they scored 382/3 in 2015, which was also in Sri Lanka.

73 – Babar Azam reached 3000 Test runs in 73 innings, becoming the sixth-fastest player to reach the milestone for Pakistan.

9 – Babar Azam scored his ninth hundred as skipper, which is now the joint highest by a Pakistan captain. He is now tied with Inzamam-ul-Haq at the record, in 60 fewer innings.

228 – Babar Azam became the fastest Asian batter to score 10000 international runs, in just 228 innings. He overtook Virat Kohli, who reached there in 232 innings.

160* – Abdullah Shafique scored 160*, which was the third-highest score by a Pakistan player in the fourth innings of a Test. Only Babar Azam (196) and Younis Khan (171*) are above him on this list.

344/6 – Pakistan’s score was comfortably the highest fourth innings total by any team at Galle. The next highest was also by Pakistan, who totalled 300 in 2012.

3 – This was Pakistan’s only third Test win at Galle as they also won their previous match at the ground in 2015. Their only other win came back in 2000.

408 – Balls faced by Abdullah Shafique, which is the second highest by a Pakistan batter in the fourth innings of a Test match. The highest was also in this year itself, by Babar Azam (425 balls) against Australia.