Mendis, Udara rescue Sri Lanka

Solid fifties lift visitors to 223-7 declared against PCB Patron’s XI

Skipper Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Udara struck solid fifties as Sri Lanka declared their first innings at 223-7 against PCB Patron’s XI at the Oval Ground in Islamabad on Wednesday.

In the three-day show, which serves as a warm-up ahead of the Test series, Sri Lanka, who opted to bat first, had to face great trouble in the start.

Patron’s XI’s pacers exploited early moisture to put pressure on the visitors. At one stage Sri Lanka were 40-3.

However at this stage Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Udara, who opened the innings, took time at the crease and revived the innings with a solid 90-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Ali Shabir broke the stand when he held Udara off his own bowling, to give the hosts a sort of relief.

Udara smashed seven fours and three sixes in his 65 for which he faced 105 balls and stayed at the wicket for 105 minutes.

Ali then immediately had the wicket of Sunal Dinusha (10), held by Azan Awais, to leave Sri Lanka at 153-5.

However, Kusal found an able partner in Anjala Bandara who put on 45 runs for the sixth wicket association with his skipper to boost Sri Lanka’s total.

Fast bowler Ubaid Shah broke the partnership when he got rid of Kusal who hammered a solid 66.

Kusal, who also played a few good strokes, smashed 11 fours in his 72-ball knock. The skipper took 157 minutes at the crease.

Bandara batted until Mendis declared the innings at 223-7 to test his bowlers also in good bowling conditions before the stumps.

Bandara struck five fours in his unbeaten 33 for which he faced 61 balls and stayed for 112 minutes at the crease.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had a poor start when Saqib Khan got two back-to-back wickets of Pasindu Sooriyabandara (8) and Dinesh Chandimal (0) to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 21-2.

Mohammad Salman then had Dhananjaya De Silva to reduce the visitors to 40-3.

De Silva struck two fours in his 14 which came off 20 balls.

Saqib (2-28), Salman (2-52) and Ali Shabir (2-28) were the successful bowlers for the Patron’s XI.

In response, Patron’s XI reached 43-2 in 15 overs.

Test batsman Azan Awais was batting on 19 and with him at the other end was Mohammad Taha on 16.

Azan had struck three fours in his 46-ball knock while Taha smashed two fours from 18 balls.

Earlier fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka got rid of Abdullah Fazal (2) before Rathnayake had Sameer Minhas (3) to leave Patron’s XI struggling at 23-2.

Ahsan Raza and Tariq Rasheed are supervising the match while Zulfiqa Jan, former first-class cricketer, is acting as reserve umpire.

Kamran Chaudhry is the match commissioner.

The side show will serve Sri Lanka to do some warm-up ahead of the first Test of the two-match Test series which will begin at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium with the first Test from November 9.

Some of the key players of Pakistan squad are currently playing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first round to do some practice ahead of the first Test.

Skipper Babar Azam is playing for Lahore Whites.