Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath yesterday returned with five wickets, but a half century from Haris Sohail on his debut saw Pakistan take a three-run lead on the fourth day in the first Test in Abu Dhabi.
The wily left-armer finished with 5-93 in a marathon 40 overs, but left-hander Sohail fought through his 76-run knock to take Pakistan to 422 all-out in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 419.
The slow turn on a flat wicket means the Test heads for a draw unless Sri Lanka flop in the second innings.
Photo: AFP
Sohail added an invaluable 50 for the ninth wicket with tail-ender Hasan Ali to lift Pakistan from 340-8 and deprived Sri Lanka of a healthy lead.
Sohail hit seven fours and two sixes before holing out to paceman Nuwan Pradeep who finished with 2-77.
Herath gave his team the much-needed wicket of a resolute Ali, luring him into an uppish drive that was brilliantly caught at short mid-wicket by a diving Kusal Mendis.
Azhar’s defiant knock lasted more than five hours and included four boundaries, but with his dismissal, Pakistan’s hopes of building a lead faded.
SA vS BANGLADESH
AFP, POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa
South African captain Faf du Plessis yesterday made an attacking half-century as South Africa stretched their lead on the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Senwes Park.
Du Plessis made 77 not out off 92 balls as South Africa reached 203 for three in their second innings at lunch, an overall lead of 379.
In the fastest scoring of the match, Du Plessis and Temba Bavuma (64 not out) added 133 runs off 149 balls in an unbeaten fourth wicket partnership.
South Africa scored 149 runs for the loss of Hashim Amla’s wicket in 29.1 overs during the morning.
Du Plessis showed aggressive intent from the start of his innings. He easily reached the fastest half-century of the match off 55 balls.
Bavuma made a slow start to the day and survived a chance on eight when Imrul Kayes dropped a fierce square cut at point off Shafiul Islam, but he lifted his tempo as he and Du Plessis mixed boundaries with good running between the wickets. Bavuma had faced 85 balls by the interval.
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