Stumps Pakistan 266 for 4 (Azhar 74*, Masood 59, Herath 2-47) trail Sri Lanka 419 by 153 runs
Azhar Ali raises his bat after his fifty © AFP
Fifties from Pakistan’s top three ensured Pakistan edged – very slowly but surely – towards Sri Lanka’s imposing first innings total of 419. Neither side gave up much ground on a blazing day in Abu Dhabi on a day that was hardly the best advert for how Test cricket is to thrive in the 21st century. Pakistan added 202 runs over the course of the entire day’s play for four wickets to finish on 266 for 4, 153 runs behind Sri Lanka. Azhar Ali was the star performer for Pakistan, unbeaten at the end on 74. He might have hoped to build on a productive partnership with Babar Azam tomorrow, but Azam fell off the day’s last delivery chasing one that was drifting down the leg side.
Entry to the Zayed Stadium was free, yet the crowd was almost non-existent, and with the lack of excitement the day offered, one couldn’t really complain. Perhaps Pakistan felt cowed by Sri Lanka’s large total, and didn’t fancy the prospect of conceding a large first innings lead, but they came out with the express intention to put safety first, and inched towards the Sri Lankan total.
More to follow…
Danyal Rasool is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Danny61000
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo