Pakistan spinners take four to set up exciting final day

Stumps Sri Lanka 69 for 4 (Kaushal 25, Yasir 2-25) and 419 lead Pakistan 422 (Azhar 85, Haris 76, Herath 5-93) by 66 runs

For eleven sessions this Test went nowhere, the teams only three runs apart at the end of the first innings, but towards the end of day four, Pakistan’s spinners claimed four wickets, and shocked it into life.

Having been made to labour in the field for 162.3 overs, Sri Lanka’s now face a stern battle on Monday. They are 66 runs ahead, but have lost four of their top five, and have fielded only six specialist batsmen in this match. At the crease is Kusal Mendis, who survived a thorough examination from Yasir Shah to finish on 16 off 66. With him is nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal. Niroshan Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera – the last recognised batsman – are yet to come to the crease.

That Sri Lanka have found themselves in this position, is largely Yasir’s work, but ongoing poor umpiring in this Test was the catalyst for the slide. Dimuth Karunaratne was given out bat-pad for 10 off Yasir, though replays showed neither his bat, nor glove, got close to the ball. He should have reviewed it, of course, but as his bat had hit the ground during the course of his stroke, he perhaps felt he had made contact.

The next two wickets went to part-timers, though Yasir had built substantial pressure to help bring about those batting mistakes. Lahiru Thirimanne edged a regulation offbreak from Asad Shafiq behind for 7. Kaushal Silva then missed a sweep against a sharp-turning Haris Sohail delivery and was dismissed for 25. Both those batsmen’s places will come under pressure now – each having failed twice in the Test.

Dinesh Chandimal arrived at the crease with his side in trouble, as had been the case in the first innings, and he sought to play the same way as he did in that first dig. Having made 7 off 29 balls with Mendis, who himself was in discomfort against Yasir, Chandimal failed to get forward to a beautifully flighted delivery from the legspinner, and sent an outside edge to slip. Sri Lanka had stumbled to 65 for 4 and given Pakistan a glimpse – distant though it is for now – at victory.

more to follow…

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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