Pakistan captain Babar Azam proved to be the face-saver for the visitors, as they struggled again the Sri Lankan spinners in the ongoing first Test at Galle as he played a skipper’s knock to help his side almost draw level with a sublime century.
Sri Lanka had made 222 runs in their first innings with Dinesh Chandimal top-scoring with 76 runs and Maheesh Theekshana (38) and Oshada Fernando (35) helping the total. Shaheen Afridi had taken 4/58.
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However, in reply, Pakistani batters struggled against Sri Lanka's newbie spinner Prabath Jayasuriya who picked 5/82, his third consecutive five-wicket haul in an innings.
Babar Azam anchored one end, but watched wickets fall in regular succession at the other end. Apart from Babar, no other Pakistani batter went past the 20-run mark, as Yasir Shah’s 18 was the next best score.
But the Pakistani skipper made 119 runs with 11 fours and 2 sixes before the visitors finally succumbed to 218 runs, giving Sri Lanka only a 4-run lead.
The entire cricket fraternity lauded Babar’s knock which came on a pitch that turned and spun viciously and for saving face for Pakistan with his sublime century.
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