1st Test, Day 2: Shakeel, Salman lead fightback against SL
The 1st Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle remain evenly poised after Day 2 saw plenty of action. The hosts were bundled out for 312 in the first session before making early inroads in Pakistan's batting line-up. However, Saud Shakeel and Agha Salman led the fightback, having launched a counter-attack in the second half. Here are the key stats.
The summary of Day 2
Sri Lanka resumed from their overnight score of 242/6. Dhananjaya de Silva completed his century in the first session, but couldn't hold the fort for long. While tail-enders departed early, Vishwa Fernando added a crucial 21* to get SL past 300 (312). Like SL, the visitors faltered while batting. However, Shakeel and Salman steadied their ship. Rain interrupted play as Pakistan returned on 221/5.
Sarfaraz Ahmed completes 3,000 Test runs
During the day, Sarfaraz Ahmed became the first Pakistani player to complete 3,000 Test runs as the designated wicket-keeper. The veteran entered the game, requiring just eight runs to get the mark. He ended up scoring a 15-ball 17 in Pakistan's first innings with the help of three boundaries. In 10 Tests against SL, Sarfaraz has 739 runs at a brilliant average of 49.26.
Shaheen, Naseem, and Abrar take three-fers
Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed took three wickets each. While left-arm seamer Shaheen took a three-fer on Day 1, he also completed 100 Test wickets. He returned figures of 3/86(24). Right-arm pacer Naseem bagged figures worth 3/90 in 22 overs. Besides, leg-spinner Abrar was Pakistan's most economical bowler, having conceded 68 runs in 31.2 overs.
Shakeel, Salman complete half-centuries
Shakeel arrived in the middle when Pakistan were tottering on 67/3. They had lost Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, and Shan Masood by then. Babar Azam and Sarfaraz, who looked solid, also departed after a few overs. Both Shakeel and Salman completed their half-centuries. The former is batting on 69 off 88 balls (6 fours), while Salman returned unbeaten on 61*(84).
A 148-ball 120* in quick time
Shakeel and Salman have already added an unbeaten 120 off just 148 balls. The duo counter-attacked the spinners and scored quick runs. As a result, Pakistan's deficit is now down to 91. They will resume on 221/5.
