GALLE: Sri Lanka are 18 for the loss of 1 wicket in their second innings against Pakistan after Pakistan’s middle order thrashed their hopes of an easy win.
Sarfraz Ahmed narrowly missed his fourth Test century but his counter-attack put paid to Sri Lanka’s hopes of a sizeable first-innings lead on the fourth day of the opening Test against Pakistan.
The hosts would have hoped for quick wickets when Pakistan resumed in the morning on 118/5 but a sixth-wicket stand of 139 between Sarfraz (96) and Asad Shafiq thwarted them.
Asad Shafiq scored a century.
The pair put on 139 for the sixth wicket as the tourists, resuming at 118-5 and still 182 runs behind Sri Lanka´s first innings total of 300, moved to 390-8 by tea on the scheduled fourth day.
Shafiq was unbeaten on 115, his seventh Test century and the third in the last four matches following his 137 against New Zealand in Sharjah and 107 against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Tailender Zulfiqar Babar proved the surprise packet, slamming a career-best 51 not out off 52 balls while adding 88 for the unbroken ninth wicket.
Babar hit six boundaries and two sixes as Pakistan´s lower order put on 294 runs for the loss of three wickets after the first five batsmen had fallen for 96 runs.
