Sri Lanka started their second innings on day four of the first Test in Galle on Wednesday. Pakistan is in the lead and is trying to get wickets against Sri Lanka. On Tuesday, middle-order hitter Saud Shakeel’s first double century helped the home team beat the visitors by 149 runs. Read out complete details about Pakistan seeks wickets as hosts continue batting on day four down below!
Pakistan seeks wickets as hosts continue batting on day four
In the last session, Pakistan was bowled out for 461 after a frustrating 94-run partnership between Shakeel, who was still not out with 208 runs, and Naseem Shah, who made six runs off 78 balls. Shakeel, 27 and playing his sixth Test, hit Dhananjaya de Silva for a boundary to make his 200th run, and the crowd applauded.
Shakeel told reporters after the long knock, “When Naseem Shah joined me, he told me there was a chance I could go for the double hundred. I give him much credit for supporting me and not letting me get scared.”
When play was stopped because of bad light, the hosts were up 14-0. Nishan Madushka was on eight at stumps, and captain Dimuth Karunaratne was on six. Spinner Ramesh Mendis got five wickets in the end, but Shakeel worked with the rest of the team, including a 52-run partnership with Nauman Ali, who made 25, at the seventh wicket.
But his 177-run partnership with Agha Salman, who hit 83, brought Pakistan back into the game after they fell to 101-5 in response to Sri Lanka’s 312.
“When I went in to bat, I wanted to attack If I had tried to be defensive we would have got bowled out for 150,” said Shakeel.
“That’s the reason I attacked and was able to take the game deep.”
Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood said: “I don’t think we did our best with the ball. It’s good to see Ramesh get five wickets haul which he deserved as a unit we weren´t good as we could have been.”
“We managed to control their run rate to an extent today but unfortunately, we missed a couple of key chances that cost us.”
