Saud Shakeel created history as he became the first Pakistani batsman to score a maiden double-century in Sri Lanka during the third day of the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Galle on July 18. His exceptional innings, along with the contributions of lower-order batsmen, propelled Pakistan to a commanding position in the match.
Pakistan took control of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka as Saud Shakeel’s remarkable double-century and the resilience of their lower-order batsmen provided them with a significant advantage. Starting the day at 69 runs, Saud remained unbeaten on 208, showcasing exceptional skill and determination throughout his innings.
Saud’s innings spanned six hours and comprised 19 fours from 352 balls. He reached his second Test century from 129 balls and went on to achieve the double-century milestone. Alongside Saud, Salman Ali Agha played a vital role, scoring 83 runs before being dismissed. The pair forged a crucial partnership of 177 runs for the sixth wicket, rescuing Pakistan from a precarious position at 101 for five.
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Further contributions from Noman Ali (25), Shaheen Shah Afridi (16), and Naseem Shah (94) in the lower order consolidated Pakistan’s dominance. Although the partnerships with Afridi and Shah were not as substantial, they added to Sri Lanka’s demoralization. Saud was particularly dominant during the partnership with Shah, scoring 70 of the 94 runs.
The Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to contain Saud and the lower-order batsmen, with frontline spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis conceding over a hundred runs each. Jayasuriya claimed three wickets for 145 runs, while Mendis took five wickets for 136 runs.
With Pakistan eventually being bowled out for 461 in their first innings, gaining a 149-run lead over Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 312, the match took a turn in Pakistan’s favor. Sri Lanka, at the end of the day, was 14 for no loss in their second innings as bad light forced an early closure.
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The Sri Lankan batsmen face a challenging task to save the match, while Pakistan enters the next Test in Colombo with increased confidence. Saud Shakeel’s magnificent innings and the impressive performance of the lower-order batsmen have tilted the series in Pakistan’s favor.
Looking ahead, with two days remaining in the Test and the pitch showing signs of wear and tear, Pakistan has the opportunity to dictate terms if their bowlers perform well in the remaining days of the match.
Scores in Brief (Day 3):
Sri Lanka: 312 all out and 14-0 (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)
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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)
Saud Shakeel’s historic double-century has given Pakistan a commanding lead in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s lower-order batsmen also made significant contributions, further solidifying their advantage. With the match now in Pakistan’s favor, Sri Lanka faces an uphill battle to save the game, while Pakistan’s confidence is soaring heading into the next Test in Colombo.
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