SL fought back well, adding 89 runs for the last two wickets and then removing the Pakistan openers cheaply
\n Islamabad
\nPakistan made a promising start to the first of the two ICC World Test Championship matches against Sri Lanka by bowling out the hosts for 222 runs in their first innings on day-one at the Galle International Stadium on Saturday. Star left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi took four wickets in the Sri Lankan innings to give Pakistan the upper hand at the close of play.
\nWhen stumps were drawn for the day, Pakistan had lost their openers Imam-ul-Haq (2) and Abdullah Shafique (13), the tourists finished at 24 for two (18 overs).
\nPakistan will begin day-two on Sunday 198 runs short of Sri Lanka\u2019s total with eight first innings wickets in hand.
\nEarlier, Pakistan bowlers made early inroads after Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first. Prolific new-ball bowler Shaheen accounted for Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne (1) in the third over of the day.
\nFrom 60 for one, the hosts slipped to 60 for three as Kusal Mendis (21) and opener Oshada Fernando (35) were dismissed in a space of three balls by leg-spinner Yasir Shah and Hasan Ali respectively. Yasir, appearing in his first Test for Pakistan in more than 11 months then took the prized wicket of former captain Angelo Mathews (0) as Sri Lanka took lunch at 80 for four.
\nShaheen made two quick breakthroughs post lunch dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva (14) and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella (4) to leave the home side tottering at 103 for six.
\nSeasoned campaigner Dinesh Chandimal who scored a double century in Sri Lanka\u2019s innings win over Australia at the same venue last week, held the innings together as wickets continued to tumble at the other end. The right-hander completed his fifty in the post lunch session. Following Shaheen\u2019s burst, left-arm-spinner Mohammad Nawaz and pacer Naseem Shah took a wicket apiece as Sri Lanka took tea at 166 for eight (52 overs).
\nChandimal fell after the tea interval for a typically stylish 76 (115 balls, 10 fours, one six), Hasan got the important wicket for his team with Yasir taking a brilliant diving catch in the covers to end the batter\u2019s resistance.
\nThe tenth-wicket pair of Maheesh Theekshana (38) and Kasun Rajitha added 45 runs before Theekshana was dismissed by Shaheen with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan taking his fourth catch of the innings.
\nShaheen was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with four for 58, Hasan and Yasir picked two wickets apiece for 23 and 66 runs respectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SL fought back well, adding 89 runs for the last two wickets and then removing the Pakistan openers cheaply Islamabad Pakistan made a promising start to the first of the two ICC World Test Championship matches against Sri Lanka by bowling out the hosts for 222 runs in their first innings on day-one at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":271704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[9621,9619,9620],"class_list":["post-271671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-fascinatingly-poised","tag-galle-international-stadium","tag-opening-day"],"yoast_head":"\n