Pakistan in Lanka

the first test is heading to a close finish....inspite of a a day lost

Pak lower order batted them to a handly lead and their bowlers have been good in both innings.

Lanka lead by 84 , 2 wickets in hand and 46 overs in the day.

so the equation is quite clear.....knock them over in next 10 or even 15 overs and then chase down 100 in 30 odd overs

Pakistan must be smelling blood here

Yasir shah has 8 in the game and t5he chance of finishing with a 9-fer...he is an exciting leggie...not quite young....but at 29 still a good 6 years of cricket left in him.

Pakistan do not miss Ajmal or anyone..inspite of losing so many guys to fiixng, suspect action and injuries .

the game has 3 of the most potent spinners playing in Babar, Yasir and herath.

India will need to play a 3rd spinner in Lanka and should make up their mind who it will be ?

a creditable win for Pakistan

Yasir Shah has 46 wickets from 8 tests so far, at a fine average of 26. Impressive start to his test career. Pakistan would hope he would keep improving and stick to the straight and narrow. There shouldn't be too many issues with his action........
The continuing evolution of Wahab Riaz was the other highlight from the game. He has been around for long, but for the last year or so, he is closer to realizing his potential, and had a pretty good first test against the Lankans.
BTW, what would Sri Lanka do without Sangakkara?

"BTW, what would Sri Lanka do without Sangakkara "

This is like we used to ask...what would India do without Tendulkar
And what withput dravid
And what without dravid, gangly, Tendulkar and laxman
But we are doing fine.

And as has recovered from the loss of warne, macgrtah, waughs

Lanka will also produce new stars.

Only Eng cannot replace Botham and KP

The thing for Sri Lanka though, is that the young batsman already in the side are not really putting their hands up. Someone like Dinesh Chandimal, who has got lots of talent, has been far too patchy to takeup a leadership role in the batting department. Thirimanne has his technical issues. The likes of Vithanage don't really look the part as of now........

The 2nd test is underway. Pakistan batting first, are 76-3. Younis Khan, playing his hundredth test, just got out, gloving a catch to the keeper of Dhamika Prasad. Younis actually walked.......

Sri Lanka well on top after day 1. Given any sort of reasonable batting performance Sri Lanka likely to have a first innings lead of 100+ and it could be a lot more.

A memorable first home test for Tharindu Kaushal. After being smashed all around the ground by Brendon McCullum in his debut test, this has been a fine return by the youngster who got the chance to play because Dilruwan Perera got injured before the game. Sri Lanka bowled Pakistan out for 138 with Kaushal packing up 5 wickets and Prasad 3. Dushmantha Chamira also bowled well. Even more interestingly, Rangana Herath wasn't even needed with the ball to send Pakistan packing. At 70-1, Sri Lanka are well placed, and Pakistan are looking down the barrel. But Pakistan were looking down and almost out at 118-5 responding to Srilanka's 300 in the first test, and we know what happened then. Pakistan under Misbah is a lot more settled the way they play their cricket, but it still is Pakistan afterall!!

Sri Lanka building the lead. They are 190-3 with Kaushal Silva going strong, moving into the 80s. He has skipper Angelo Mathews for company.
Massive blow for Pakistan as Whab Riaz is out injured aftr bowling only 9 overs.......

Just as I type, Silva runs himself out with some absolutely atrocious running!

technically, Matthews was at fault for that run-out. It's Silva's call and if they go straight away (and they should have, Silva calls nice and early) they make it fairly comfortably. However, Matthews is leaning on his bat at the non-strikers end, doesn't back up properly, and to compound it is then guilty of ball-watching. Poor from the captain, and if I was Silva I'd be absolutely fuming. Then Chandimal and Vithanage both play pretty questionable shots in quick succession, and SL are in danger of rather throwing away a great position here.

Vithanage is just terrible. Can't what is it that the Sri Lankan selectors see in him. Just doesn't look international class let alone test class.......

Half-centuries from Kaushal Silva and skipper Angelo Mathews, lower order runs from Dhamika Prasad and Tharindu Kaushal, some reckless batting in between, at end of it all, Sri Lanka went to a rain enforced early stumps at 304-9, 166 ahead of Pakistan.
On a day when they lost Whab Riaz to injury, Yasir Shah ones again led the Pakistan bowling effort with another 5for. While the others didn't bowl badly, they couldn't create the same impact as Yasir did.

Pakistan is down...but not fully out.
if they can bat with resolve to get a lead of 150, then their 3 spinners will make it very diffciult for Lanka in 4th inning

and as expected Pak have batted well enuf to wipe out the lead with 8 wickets in hand...so they should get a lead of 150.....and it seems atleast 150...two days left game is turning even
good series this one

Yes, Pakistan can still win this!. They are only 6 away from Lanka now, with 8 2nd innings wickets remaining, including those of Azhar Ali batting on having gone pass his 50, and Younis Khan playing his hundredth test....... Will be a great tribute to Younis if they can complete the turnaround.......
Is Rangana Herath losing his match winning edge? He didn't bowl badly here, but something isn't quite there. Age catching up or just a rough patch?

Yaser shah took another 6-fer
keep an eye on him...he is going at an astronomical rate of wickets per test.....lets see how he does when he travels to Aus, Eng, SA and NZ

So Pakistan bowled out for 329 in their 2nd innings with Azhar Ali scoring a ton. Younus Khan made 40 but there wasn't much else though a few batsmen got starts. For Sri Lanka, Dhamika Prasad did most of the damage with 4 wickets, and his new ball partnr, the rapid Dushmantha Chameera took 3 wickets. Skipper Angelo Mathews chipped in with a couple of wickets. Spin, that did most of the damage in the first 2 inningses, was limited to 1 wickets when Rangana Herath got Azhar.
Pakistan are without their pace leader, but they do have Junaid Khan who in his own rights is a pretty good bowler, and Yasir Shah has been too hot to handle for Sri Lanka in this series. The Lankan batting has been rather patchy, so Pakistan are not completely out of it yet.......

Lanka chased down 153 quite easily in the end
the key was their positive approach...instead of hanging around they went at 6RPO and did not let the pressure mount.

Yasser shah finishes with 8-for the game

Yes, Sri Lanka went for it from ball 1 and beat Pakistan and beat the weather too!. They promoted Kathuruwan Vithanage to open along with Karunaratne, Holding Kaushal Silva back as an insurance. The openers went after the bowling and Vithanage who has been struggling to buy a run so far made 34 of 23 and Karunaratne scored a quick 50. Though Kumar Sangakkara, who has opted out of the final test was out for a duck, Skipper Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne finished the chase off.
Sri Lanka's new generation standing up to be counted in this game. Mathews was back in form with 2 crucial knocks, Kaushal Silva playing a fine hand in the first innings. Tharindu Kaushal turning up big time on day 1 that made the eventuall difference, Dushmantha Chameera hurrying the batsmen with his pace. Then Karunaratne, Vithanage and Thirimanne on the final day. In between, one not so young fast bowler, the 32 year old Dhamika Prasad leading the pace attack and collecting the MoM.
Hope the final test would also be a good contest.......

T3.....lanka batting first and its an even game so far at 128-2 in 42 overs

and at 136-3 Pak with their nose ahead now.....Yaser shah the man again 2 out of 3 wickets

Jehan Mubarak returns after 8 years to test cricket at the age of 35 and stems the collapse with karunaratne who gets a 100 in a 63 * partnership.

so here is a guy karunaratne..... ready to shine as Sangkarra exits

Sri Lanka ended the day in some serious trouble at 272-8. Karunaratne with a top knock of 130, but not much support otherwise. The returning Upul Tharanga made 46, and
Jehan Mubarak's comeback innings lasted for 25 runs. Yasir Shah yet again leading Pakistan's charge with the ball with 4 wickets, but Sri Lanka will be even more peeved that Azhar Ali's parttimers claimed 2 wickets.......
Sri Lanka will be hoping the lower order can drive the total pass 300, perhaps into the 320s, and Pakistan would be hoping to bowl the Lankans out under 300 and then bat well.

Pakistan took the last 2 wickets for the addition of 6 runs today morning with Rahat Ali and Yasir sharing the wickets. Yasir finished with his 3rd 5for in the series.
Pakistan in response are 86-3. Prasad and Pradeep took out the openers, and Younus Khan was run-out. The seam bowlers doing most of the bowling so far, Tharindu Kaushal's single over being the only sighting of spin up to the 29th over.......

Pakistan a bit over 200 with 9 down.

both teams outdoing each other in putting mediocre totals with the bat now...as they have been through the series.

there is a major difference though IMO
Lanka falls to high quality bowling they are faced with
Pak falls to just sub-standard batting

Pakistan bowled out for 215, 63 behind Lanka's first innings score. Prasad, Pradeep and Kaushal take 3 each. Sarfraz with 78 and Azhar Ali with 52 the only saving grace for Pakistan with the bat.

it's heading towards another low scoring thriller...and Lanka's 63 first inning lead is crucial.

now they stand 175 ahead with 6 wickets in hand.....they would be looking at atleast 300 lead....and that's the most Pakistan can seriously look forward to chasing in the 4th inning

lanka clearly ahead in the game and Pakistan need an inspired spell with the ball now or a blistering inning from one of their top-4 to make the game even

Lanka just 9 short of the 300 lead with 5 2nd innings wickets remaining. When Rain brought an early stumps, they were 228-5 with skipper Angelo Mathews unbeaten on 77 and Dinesh Chandimal on 39.
This is the last recognized pair of batsmen, and Lanka would be hoping they would push the lead pass 400. That will be a tall ask for Pakistan to chase down.......

Pak chasing 377 and in the game as of now.
they had chased down a big 4th inning total last time both teams played a series in UAE

KP_fan wrote:Pak chasing 377 and in the game as of now.
they had chased down a big 4th inning total last time both teams played a series in UAE

Half way there now and still only two down. Pakistan will fancy this.

Been a bit lucky I reckon : that lbw review of Sri Lanka's looked very out to me. Perhaps my old eyes aren't the best but I thought there was daylight between bat and ball. So did the Sri Lankan manager

Hundred for Masood and Sri Lanka really need a break soon...

reminiscing Younis, when I met in Dubai, the day after they had chased a near 400 total.....
Shaan Masood actually took this picture....and Younis had introduced Shaan as the most promising opening batsman in Pakistan.
Now both those guys are in the middle and getting close to a near 400 chase

https://www.606v2.com/viewimage.forum?u=http%3A%2F%2Fi56.servimg.com%2Fu%2Ff56%2F17%2F86%2F28%2F01%2Fyounis10.jpg

https://www.606v2.com/t51103p100-ecb-bcci-and-ca-to-control-cricket-in-future

What an incredible batsman Younis Khan is. Hasn't played a home Test in yonks and still maintains a very very high average. Hats off.

Younis is just so good. Thirty Centuries now, probably the greatest Batsman Pakistan has produced.

Younis has the best conversion rate of 50s to 100s in the history of the game

Pakistan is rediscovering some of that mercuriality that they had given up for a more stable brand of cricket that they've mostly played under Misbah. Pretty much in the game, in fact this is their game to lose now.

Pak win hands down.....on the back of a Younis gem

pak swing between sublime and ridiculous

Just phenomenal. They've needed the stability in many series. But this was won on the back of having a bigger upside than any other team in world cricket.