Tea Pakistan 111 for 4 (Fawad 18*, Salman 13*, De Silva 1-15) trail Sri Lanka 378 (Chandimal 80, Dickwella 51, O Fernando 50, Naseem 3-58, Yasir 3-83, Nawaz 2-80) by 267 runs
By tea, Pakistan were 111 for 4, still 267 runs behind Sri Lanka’s 378. There were no major issues with the surface, which is offering some turn but not the rapid variety that prompts the big collapses. Even so, eight wickets have fallen in the first two sessions on Monday. Sri Lanka had earlier lost their four remaining wickets for 63 runs since the start of play.
As had been the case in Sri Lanka’s innings, Pakistan’s top-order batters got starts, but were unable to turn those into match-defining scores. Babar, for example, had negotiated his first 33 deliveries with relative ease. He had danced down the track and been hit on the pad sixth ball, prompting an lbw appeal and then a review. But that never looked out, and he appeared secure in defence, and was quick to seize on bowlers’ errors in length.
Perhaps, of the four batters dismissed, Shafique is the hardest to blame, because he got out to a good Asitha delivery before he had got his eye in. Second ball of the innings, he pushed at a length ball in the corridor while rooted to his crease. The inside edge cannoned into middle and leg.
Ramesh’s 35 saw Sri Lanka offer some resistance down the order, however. He put up a 20-run partnership with the No. 10 batter, and a 25-run stand with the No. 11, to ensure Sri Lanka’s lower order did not completely fall over on day two.