Twitter Rections: Pakistan in ascendency after Abdullah Shafique's magnificent century on Day 4

Few early wickets on day five could expose the inexperienced lower order of the visitors, and we could be in for a thrilling finish to the opening test on Wednesday.

By Chaitanya Prakash

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Abdullah Shafique
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Abdullah Shafique (Photo Source: Twitter/PakistanCricket)

Pakistan dominated Day 4 of the ongoing first Test at Galle as the visitors are in pole position to record a historic successful run chase on the fifth day. They are 222/3 after bundling Sri Lanka out earlier in the day for 337 as Dinesh Chandimal was left stranded on 94 runs. Opener Abdullah Shafique is unbeaten at the crease with a resilient 112 to his name and was supported well by skipper Babar Azam’s 55 as Pakistan need another 120 runs on the final day to win the first Test of the series.

The Pakistani batters came out with the intent of chasing a massive target of 342 on a tricky pitch. Although the ball was doing a bit for the spinners, the opening batters were unflustered with the turn on offer and dominated proceedings in the morning session. Just when the game felt like slipping away from the hosts, Imam-ul-Haq was dismissed after some brilliant work behind the wicket from Niroshan Dickwella to break the 87-run opening stand.Β 

Azhar Ali’s poor Test continued as he was dismissed a few overs later for a score of six. That is when Pakistan’s best batter and skipper Babar Azam joined hands with young Abdullah Shafique at the crease. The duo compiled a 101-run stand for the third wicket, which saw Shafique register his second century as the skipper breached the 50-run mark himself.

The Sri Lankan bowlers toiled hard against the pair, who were looking solid before Prabath Jayasuriya bowled Babar round his legs, in what could be termed as a mere lapse in concentration from the Pakistani skipper. The resolute Mohammad Rizwan then joined the young centurion at the crease as the visitors eye a historic successful run chase at Galle on the fifth day.

Sri Lankan bowlers will have to pull up their socks

The Sri Lankan bowlers had to toil hard throughout the day as the visitors were in no mood to give away cheap wickets. The Sri Lankan spinners bowled 76 overs on the day but were guilty of bowling too full at times and the Pakistani batters made full use of the freebies on offer. Pakistan are in a commanding position in the Test match, but a few early wickets on day five could expose the inexperienced lower order of the visitors, and we could be in for a thrilling finish to the opening test on Wednesday.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the proceedings:

 

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