Pakistan Seizes Lead in ICC World Test Championship with Galle Triumph

Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, demonstrated exceptional leadership skills as his team kicked off the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 with a remarkable four-wicket victory against Sri Lanka on July 20.

This victory propels Pakistan to the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings alongside India, positioning them as strong contenders for the coveted title.

The gripping first Test match at the Galle International Stadium kept cricket enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. Pakistan’s win in this closely-fought encounter gives them a crucial advantage in the two-Test series against the host nation.

As the action shifts to the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, the teams are geared up for the second and final Test starting from 24 July.

Babar Azam led from the front, setting the tone for the match with an impactful innings that included two boundaries in the first over of the morning.

Despite being dismissed for a quickfire 24 off 28 balls, his aggressive approach influenced the team’s performance positively.

Facing pressure at 79 for four, Pakistan found stability through the partnership of Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel, who added 43 crucial runs for the fifth wicket.

Saud, who had already scored a double century in the first innings, contributed a valuable 30 runs before being dismissed.

A minor hiccup arose when Sarfaraz Ahmed departed after scoring just 1 run, leaving Pakistan needing only five runs to secure victory. However, Salman Ali Agha remained composed and sealed the win with a massive six off the first ball he faced.

Imam-ul-Haq’s match-winning innings was a standout performance, finishing unbeaten on 50 off 84 balls. His composed knock, featuring four boundaries and one six, was pivotal in guiding Pakistan to an exhilarating win.

Prabath Jayasuriya was Sri Lanka’s standout performer with the ball, taking four wickets in Pakistan’s second innings. His impressive performance throughout the match earned him a total of seven wickets, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a victory for the hosts.

Scores in brief:

Sri Lanka 312 all out, 95.2 overs (Dhananjaya de Silva 122, Angelo Mathews 64, Sadeera Samarawickrama 36, Dimuth Karunaratne 29; Abrar Ahmed 3-68, Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-86, Naseem Shah 3-90, Salman Ali Agha 1-18) and 279 all out, 83.1 overs (Dhananjaya de Silva 82, Nishan Madushka 52, Ramesh Mendis 42, Dinesh Chandimal 28; Noman Ali 3-75, Abrar Ahmed 3-68, Salman Ali Agha 2-39, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-64)

Pakistan 461 all out, 121.2 overs (Saud Shakeel 208 not out, Salman Ali Agha 83, Shan Masood 39, Noman Ali 25; Ramesh Mendis 5-136, Prabath Jayasuriya 3-145) and 133-6, 32.5 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 50 not out, Saud Shakeel 30, Babar Azam 24; Prabath Jayasuriya 4-56)

Player of the match: Saud Shakeel (Pakistan)

With this impressive victory, Pakistan’s prospects in the ICC World Test Championship have soared, and they are now in a commanding position to clinch the prestigious title.

Cricket fans around the world eagerly await the upcoming matches to witness more exhilarating performances from the top-ranked team.