Pakistan wins the opening Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle to take a 1-0 series lead over the visitors.
Pakistan defeats Sri Lanka in Galle in the first Test to take a 1-0 series lead ov
er the visitors.
On the third day of the inaugural cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 18, 2023, Pakistan's Saud Shakeel celebrates after reaching double century (200 runs). — AFP
On the final day of the first Test, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets to take a 1-0 series lead at Galle thanks to a double century by Saud Shakeel in the first innings.
When Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq came to the crease, Pakistan was 48-3 and had resumed their run chase of 131 runs.
Azam hit five fours while scoring 24 runs in only 28 balls before being caught by Prabath Jayasuriya in front of the stumps.
Shakeel was also unable to bat out the innings since he was removed after reaching 30 runs in 38 balls.
Imam played a solid innings, scoring 50 runs (four fours and a six) while remaining undefeated.
Agha Salman helped Pakistan cross the finish line by hitting a six off the first ball he faced.
After removing Shan Masood (7) and Abdullah Shafique (8) from the Pakistani top order during the last session of yesterday, Jayasuriya captured two top-order wickets for his team.
Nauman Ali, a nightwatchman, was chased out after making a second suicide rush.
On day four, Sri Lanka was bowled for 279 in their second innings, setting Pakistan a target of 131 runs to win the game.
With three wickets each, Abrar Ahmed and Nauman Ali were Pakistan's leading scorers. Shaheen Afridi and Agha Salman both claimed two wickets in the meanwhile.
The best scorer for the home team was Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored a tonne in the first innings.
In the rain-delayed opening match, Pakistan grabbed a 149-run lead against Sri Lanka thanks to Saud Shakeel's first double century in Test cricket.
After a tedious ninth-wicket stand of 94 runs between Shakeel, who was still unbeaten on 208, and Naseem Shah, who struck six off 78 balls, the visitors were bowled out for 461 in the last session of day three.
Ramesh Mendis, a spinner, finished with a five-wicket haul, although Shakeel worked with the tailenders, including a 52-run stand with Nauman Ali, who scored 25, for the seventh wicket.
But it was his 177-run partnership with Agha Salman, who scored 83 runs, that got Pakistan back into the match after they had fallen to 101-5 in response to Sri Lanka's 312, as they were batting last.
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