Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara smashed successive centuries against Pakistan to light up the rain-hit second Test in Colombo, Sri Lanka, yesterday.
The hosts, replying to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 551-6 declared, took their overnight score of 70-1 to 278-5 by stumps on the fourth day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
Dilshan scored 121 and Sangakkara was unbeaten on 144 as the pair put on 225 runs for the second wicket after opener Tharanga Paranavitana fell for a duck on Monday.
Photo: Reuters
Pakistan grabbed four wickets in the final session to leave Sri Lanka still needing 74 more runs to save the follow-on today, but a draw appears likely as rain once again wiped off two hours of play in the post-lunch session after bad weather on the previous two days restricted the bowlers to only 71 of the stipulated 180 overs.
Sangakkara had scored an unbeaten 199 and Dilshan made 101 in the first Test in Galle last week, which Sri Lanka won by 209 runs.
Both settled down once again to pound the Pakistan attack on a dead pitch that provided no assistance to the bowlers.
Dilshan was the first to the landmark, lofting off-spinner Saeed Ajmal for a six to bring up his 14th Test century and his third against Pakistan.
Left-handed Sangakkara surpassed Australian legend Don Bradman’s tally of 29 tons with a single off Ajmal in the next over.
When Sangakkara reached 60, he become the highest run-scorer against Pakistan, surpassing India great Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 2,089 runs from 24 Tests.
Dilshan was dismissed in the final hour when he was trapped leg before wicket by Junaid Khan. He hit 13 fours and a six.
Junaid then picked up his third wicket as skipper Mahela Jayawardene padded up to an incoming delivery and was declared leg before for a duck.
Ajmal removed Thilan Samaraweera for a duck and Abdur Rehman sent back nightwatchman Suraj Randiv in the day’s final over.
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