Abdullah Shafique achieved his first double hundred, while Salman Ali Agha secured his second century, leading Pakistan to a commanding position against Sri Lanka on the third day of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo.
Pakistan concluded the day with an imposing total of 563 for five in 132 overs, now holding a significant 397-run lead.
The day’s play began with Pakistan resuming their first innings at 178 for two. Captain Babar Azam, who had a strong start, added 11 runs to his overnight score before departing with 39 runs to his name.
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Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel, who had a memorable double century in the first Test, formed a formidable partnership, adding 109 runs for the fourth wicket. This also led Saud Shakeel to become the only player in the world to achieve six half-centuries in seven Test matches, along with two centuries.
Unfortunately, there was a tense moment when wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed was hit on the head by a bouncer from Asitha Fernando in the 86th over. He had to leave the field, and Mohammad Rizwan took his place as a concussion substitute.
Despite the setback, Abdullah Shafique continued to display exceptional batting prowess, ultimately reaching an impressive 201 off 326 balls, including 19 fours and four sixes. Salman Ali Agha, on the other hand, delivered an outstanding unbeaten knock of 132 runs off 148 balls, featuring 15 fours and a six. Together, they contributed to an unbroken 95-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Rizwan.
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Scores at a glance (Day 3 of 5):
Sri Lanka: 166 all out in 48.4 overs (Dhananjaya de Silva 57, Dinesh Chandimal 34, Ramesh Mendis 27; Abrar Ahmed 4-69, Naseem Shah 3-41, Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-44)
Pakistan: 563-5 in 132 overs (Abdullah Shafique 201, Salman Ali Agha 132 not out, Saud Shakeel 57, Shan Masood 51, Babar Azam 39, Mohammad Rizwan 37 not out; Asitha Fernando 3-133, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-181)
With this exceptional performance, Pakistan has firmly positioned itself as the frontrunner in the Test match, leaving Sri Lanka with a challenging task ahead. The remarkable innings by Abdullah Shafique and Salman Ali Agha have set the stage for an enthralling conclusion to this cricketing battle.
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