Only Test: Ibrahim Zadran leads Afghanistan's fightback against Sri Lanka
Afghanistan batted brilliantly on Day 3 against Sri Lanka in the only Test at the SSC ground. The visitors showed some resistance by bundling out the hosts in no time before putting up a great batting display. Ibrahim Zadran leads the charge with a 101* along with Rahmat Shah's unbeaten 46 as Afghanistan compiled 199/1 at stumps on Day 3. Here's more.
Here's the summary of Day 3
SL resumed at 410/6 on Day 3 and were bundled out for 439 courtesy of Naveed Zadran's brilliant 4/83. In the second innings, Ibrahim and Noor added 106 runs together. The latter was dismissed just before smashing his maiden Test fifty. However, Ibrahim stitched another crucial 93*-run partnership with Rahmat. Afghanistan are 199/1 at stumps on Day 3 as they trail by 42 runs.
Naveed Zadran claims 4/83 on debut
Naveed was the pick of the Afghan bowlers as he claimed 4/83. He scalped two wickets on Day 2 before finishing off the SL innings on Day 3 with two more wickets. He claimed the wickets of Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Prabath Jayasuriya. Naveed's bouncer forced Chamika Gunasekara to retire out. He was the bright spark among Afghanistan's bowlers.
A brilliant partnership between the Zadrans
Noor, on debut, batted brilliantly with his nephew, Ibrahim in the second innings as the visitors desperately needed a platform to compile more runs. Therefore the two openers complimented each other nicely and stitched a 106-run partnership. Noor looked very comfortable for his 98-ball 46 until Asitha Fernando trapped him right in front of the stumps.
A maiden Test hundred for Ibrahim
After scoring a duck in the first inning, the young dasher was keen to make it big in his second outing. He showed great determination to hammer his maiden Test century. He stitched a 106-run stand with Noor followed by another crucial 93*-run partnership with Rahmat. Ibrahim has amassed 450-plus runs from six Test matches at an average over 36 (50s: 4, 100: 1).
Highest opening stand for Afghanistan in Test cricket
Ibrahim and Noor's 106-run opening partnership against Sri Lanka is now Afghanistan's highest opening stand in Test cricket. They surpassed the previous highest opening partnership of 53 runs between Javed Ahmadi and Ibrahim which came against West Indies in Lucknow back in 2019.
How have the Sri Lanka bowlers fared?
It has been a tough day for the hosts as they have only managed to return with a single wicket in the second innings. Asitha was the only successful bowler for SL. The conditions have become favorable for batting and the Afghan batters made full use of it. Kasun Rajitha went for runs while Jayasuriya and Dhananjaya de Silva were much more economical.
