Dinesh Chandimal struck his fourth successive half-century to drive Sri Lanka’s complete earlier than Pakistan hit again with late wickets on Sunday’s opening day of the second Take a look at at Galle.
Chandimal, who hit 80, placed on key partnerships together with a 75-run fourth-wicket stand with Angelo Mathews, who fell in need of fifty in his landmark one hundredth Take a look at.
Sri Lanka reached 315 for six when unhealthy mild stopped play for the day, with the hosts electing to bat first of their bid to bounce again from a gap loss within the two-match sequence.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, on 42, and debutant Dunith Wellalage, on six, have been batting after tempo bowler Naseem Shah struck with the second new ball.
Naseem bowled Dhananjaya de Silva for 32 and almost acquired Dickwella on 24, however skipper Babar Azam dropped his second catch of the day, this time at second slip.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz stood out for Pakistan with the 2 key wickets of Oshada Fernando, who made 50, and Chandimal.
Chandimal, who made 206 not out, 76 and 94 not out in his earlier two Assessments, dealt with the opposition spinners with aplomb till his departure on a pitch that turned on day one.
Mathews began effectively however did not capitalise on a reprieve on 36, when Azam dropped a straightforward catch at further cowl off left-arm spinner Nauman Ali.
Nauman got here after the tea break to get Mathews caught behind, with the batsman strolling again to a dressing room cheering his Take a look at milestone.
Fernando and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne began with a 92-run opening stand earlier than Nawaz broke via.
Fernando smashed Nawaz for six to succeed in his seventh Take a look at half-century, however acquired out caught behind on the subsequent ball.
Kusal Mendis survived 11 balls and made three earlier than being run out on the stroke of lunch off a direct throw from Agha Salman, whereas the batsman was backing up on the non-strikers’ finish.
Karunaratne fell to Yasir Shah’s leg spin after his tried reverse sweep went to backward level the place Naseem took a pointy catch as Sri Lanka seemed in hassle at 120-3.
Chandimal took inventory with Mathews after which De Silva in a partnership of 63 however a wild slog acquired him caught at backward level off Nawaz.
Mathews, 35, was feted by Sri Lanka Cricket and accompanied by his household in the beginning of the Take a look at for reaching his century of five-day matches since his debut on the similar venue in 2009, additionally towards Pakistan.
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