Pakistan Create A Unique Piece Of History In Ongoing Test Match Against Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan team began the second Test in Karachi of the two-match series in a promising way, having bundled out Pakistan for 191. Nevertheless, the host turned the tables in their second innings by punishing the opposition’s bowlers for setting them a daunting target of 476. Pakistan declared their innings at 555-3 on the back of four centuries from the top four batsmen.

Also Read: Kumar Sangakkara, The MCC President, Likely To Tour Pakistan In The Coming Year

Abid Ali, who was playing only in his second Test, scored 174 after his unbeaten knock of 109 in the second innings of the first Test in Rawalpindi that resulted in a draw. His partner Shan Masood compiled a score of 135 while Azhar Ali and Babar Azam made 118 and 100 respectively. The latter remained not out along with Mohammad Rizwan, who stayed with him at 21. In the process, Pakistan became only the second nation in Test cricket history whose top four batsmen accumulated centuries in a single inning.

India is the only other team who managed to achieve this feat in the history of Test cricket when they did against Bangladesh in 2007 in Dhaka. Back then the men in blue’s top four Wasim Jaffer (138), Dinesh Karthik (129), Rahul Dravid (129), and Sachin Tendulkar (122) amassed four hundreds to take their side to a score of 610 for the loss of only three wickets.

Sri Lanka battling hard to stay afloat:

The tourists face an uphill task to save the ongoing Test, having lost seven wickets for 212 already in their pursuit. Among the Sri Lankan bowlers, only Lahiru Kumara could hold his head high as he picked up two wickets for 139 runs. The home side shared an opening stand of 278, and the subsequent partnerships were of 77, 148, and the last one of 52*. Sri Lanka scored 271 in their first innings and couldn’t capitalise fully on their dominant bowling performance. With a day more left in the match, Pakistan look set to register a victory and a historic series win on the return of Test cricket to Pakistan and secure some valuable points in the ICC Test Championship.

Also Read: Shikhar Dhawan Available For Sri Lanka T20Is After Clearing Fitness Tests