Sri Lanka thrash Pakistan, level series 1-1: Key stats
Sri Lanka clinched a 246-run win in the second and final Test against Pakistan on Thursday. Chasing 508, the visitors looked for a draw, but faulty shows from their middle order denied them an opportunity (261/10). Babar Azam (81) was a class act for Pakistan. Meanwhile, spinner Prabath Jayasuriya (5/117) extended his sublime run to force a series draw. Here are the stats.
How did the second Test pan out?
SL compiled 378 after opting to bat first. Fifties from Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, and Niroshan Dickwella got them to a solid-looking total. The visitors could amass 231, which comprised a maiden Test fifty from Agha Salman (62). SL declared on 360, involving a pivotal ton from Dhananjaya de Silva. Pakistan started well but fell apart post the dismissals of Babar and Mohammad Rizwan.
Mendis chimes in with handy all-round contributions
Ramesh Mendis excelled on the bowling front and had more than handy returns with the willow. The off-spinner punched his third five-wicket haul in Tests (5/47) and later managed figures worth 4/101. He has raced to 46 Test scalps at 28.39, including 12 against Pakistan. Meanwhile, he notched pivotal knocks of 35 and 45*, fetching runs with the lower-middle order and tail-enders.
6,000 Test runs for Karunaratne
Dimuth Karunaratne racked up scores of 40 and 61. He batted down the order in the second innings owing to a back issue but cracked his 31st fifty in the whites. In the process, the southpaw steered past 6,000 Test runs (6,023) at 39.62. Notably, he has also breached the 1,000-run mark in Tests against Pakistan (1,040).
Karunaratne enters an elite list!
Karunaratne is only the sixth Lankan batter to surpass the 6,000-run mark in Tests. Kumar Sangakkara (12,400), Mahela Jayawardene (11,814), Sanath Jayasuriya (6,973), Aravinda de Silva (6,361), Angelo Mathews (6,361) are the ones to have attained it before Karunaratne.
Pakistani bowlers attain these records
Playing only his second game after return to Tests, leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed four wickets in total. He now has 244 Test scalps at 31.38. Meanwhile, Mohammad Nawaz grabbed three wickets. He has steered to 15 scalps at 27.20. Naseem Shah, who replaced an injured Shaheen Afridi for the decider, snared figures worth 3/58 and 2/44. He now has 33 Test scalps at 36.30.
Babar's rich form continues!
Babar, who had clocked a ton in the first Test, shone in the decisive feud as well. The talented batter struck 16 and later a valiant-looking 81 off 146 deliveries. He hammered six fours and a six, including a 79-run stand alongside Mohammad Rizwan in a bid to shorten the fourth-innings chase. He now has 3,122 Test runs at 47.30 (23 fifties).
Babar unlocks this laud-worthy feat
Babar has become the seventh player to get past 1,000 Test runs as captain for Pakistan. He achieved the mark on Day 4 of the second Test. Mushtaq Mohammad (1,035), Saleem Malik (1,047), Javed Miandad (2,354), Inzamam-ul-Haq (2,397), Imran Khan (2,408), and Misbah-ul-Haq (4,214) are the others to attain this feat. Notably, he has six fifty-plus scores in his last seven Test innings.
24th Test fifty for Chandimal
Chandimal dished out a cracking 80 off 137 deliveries in the first innings. It was his 24th fifty and fourth consecutive fifty-plus total in red-ball cricket. Later, Chandimal showed that he is only human after departing on 21(58) in the second innings. Nonetheless, the middle-order batter has amassed 4,936 at 43.29. Versus Pakistan, he has 924 runs at 44.00.
Dhananjaya comes to the rescue!
SL had a 147-run lead heading into the third innings. They needed a hefty knock to put the chase out of the equation for Pakistan. Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored 33 in the first innings, bashed a 171-ball 109 (16 fours). It was his ninth Test ton. He now has 2,815 runs at 37.53. Against Pakistan, de Silva has aggregated 310 runs at 51.66.
Jayasuriya feasts on the rival line-up
Jayasuriya has been one of the pivotal players for SL in each of the last three Tests. The slow left-arm orthodox clipped three wickets in the first innings. He bowled beautifully at the later stages, snapping up figures worth 5/117. It was his fourth five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket. Notably, Jayasuriya now commands 29 scalps at 20.37, including 17 against Pakistan.
A look at other notable numbers
Lankan opener Oshada churned battered 50 and 19. He surpassed the 1,000-run mark (1,039) at 35.82. Dickwella punched a quick-fire 51 early on. It was his 22nd Test fifty. He scored 15(25) in the second innings. He has compiled 2,750 runs. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Imam-ul-Haq managed 32 and 49. He missed out on his fifth Test fifty but has raced to 973 runs at 34.75.
