Pakistan took control on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka. After bundling out the visitors for 166 runs, Pakistan finished the day at 145/2, trailing by only 21 runs with Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam unbeaten at the crease.
Pakistan’s bowlers set the tone early in the match as Abrar Ahmed led the attack, claiming an impressive four-wicket haul. Seamers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi supported him well, taking three and one wickets respectively, dismantling the Sri Lankan batting lineup. The Sri Lankan side struggled throughout their innings, with only a few batsmen showing resistance.
Dhananjaya de Silva played a resilient knock of 57 runs, and Dinesh Chandimal and Ramesh Mendis contributed with 34 and 27 runs respectively. However, the lack of substantial partnerships and the inability of most batsmen to reach double digits resulted in a meager total of 166 runs.
For Sri Lanka, the early breakthrough they sought came through Asitha Fernando, who dismissed Shan Masood early in the innings. They could have potentially created further trouble for Pakistan if they had reviewed an lbw decision against Masood, which was turned down by the on-field umpire. However, Pakistan’s batting duo stood firm, and the Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to build pressure throughout the day. Despite Fernando picking up his second wicket by dismissing a set-batsman, Pakistan’s strong batting display allowed them to end the day on a high note. Abdullah Shafique played a stellar innings, remaining unbeaten on 74, while captain Babar Azam provided solid support with an unbeaten eight runs.
