Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka squander promising start as Saud Shakeel's double ton adds salt to the wounds on Day 3

Sri Lanka are trailing by 135 runs after Day 3.

By Koustav Sengupta

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4 Min Read

Saud Shakeel
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Saud Shakeel. (Photo Source: ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

After a terrific start with the ball, Sri Lanka were expected to take the lead in the first innings, but the partnership of Saud Shakeel and Agha Salman completely changed the complexion of the game. After losing five wickets in the middle, the visiting team was under extreme pressure as Prabath Jayasuriya looked sensational, and that’s when the partnership of Shakeel and Salman brought Pakistan back into the game.

Notably, their partnership of 177 runs gave Pakistan much-needed momentum in Galle after a poor start. Both cricketers were aggressive in their approach on Day 2, but on Day 3, they turned a bit conservative. Meanwhile, just when Sri Lanka were losing all their hopes, Ramesh Mendis gave the team a much-needed break. Salman was sent back to the pavilion, and that’s when the home side was expected to make a comeback, but unfortunately, that did not work according to the plan.

Shakeel kept the fight going as the 27-year-old hit a phenomenal double century on a pitch that was not easy for the batters to settle down. On top of that, wickets kept falling from one end, which made it even tougher for Shakeel to get going. Despite all the odds, he kept going and eventually helped his team post 461 runs on board and take a healthy lead of 149 runs. This is likely to give Pakistan a lot of confidence as they will be hoping to get the job done in the remaining two days.

Meanwhile, Mendis was fantastic with the ball on Day 3 as the off-spinner picked a five-for to keep Sri Lanka in the game. The home team, nevertheless, was very casual in their approach towards the fag end of the day, and that might hurt them going forward. Meanwhile, with the bat, the Lankan Lions managed to get a steady start. They finished the day scoring 14 without any loss and will be hoping to continue in a similar fashion on Day 4.

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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 2023PakistanSri LankaAgha SalmanRamesh MendisSaud Shakeel