Sri Lanka conquer PCB Patron’s XI

Nuwantha, Malinga lead visitors’ 142-run victory in warm-up game

Keshara Nuwantha and Eshan Malinga bowled extremely well to enable Sri Lanka to whip PCB Patron’s XI by 142 runs in their three-day warm-up game at the Oval Ground Islamabad on Friday.

Chasing a stiff target of 254 PCB Patron’s XI were skittled out for only 111 runs.

Mohammad Tayab Arif top-scored 32 which came off 31 balls and had four fours.

Abdullah Fazal made 21 off 29 balls, striking four fours and one six.

Sameer Minhas, who had failed in the first innings, also flopped in the second, falling for 16 off 25 balls. He hammered three fours in his brief knock.

Sameer is the younger brother of Arafat Minhas, prolific young all-rounder, who did really well recently in the ODI tri-series.

Mohammad Taha made 16 off 25 balls, hammering three fours.

Off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha was the main destroyer. He ripped through Patron’s Xi batting, claiming 4-26. He was ably backed by Eshan Malinga with figures of 3-6 in 3.1 overs.

Earlier, Sri Lanka resumed their second innings at 121-6 and were folded for 181.

Milan Rathnayake chipped in with 40 off 77 balls, hammering five fours. He faced 110 deliveries. Keshara Nuwantha made solid 30 off 47 balls, striking three fours.

Young pacer Ubaid Shah, who had claimed one wicket in the first innings, got 3-18.

Saqib Khan captured 2-39 while Shoaib Akhtar Junior had picked three wickets on Thursday.

Sri Lanka had taken a 72-run lead in the first innings and that handed them a huge advantage.

Sri Lanka had declared their first innings at 223-7 while, in response, Patron’s XI had declared their innings at 151-8.

This was the only warm-up game and now both Sri Lanka and Pakistan will look forward to the first Test of the two-match Test series which will begin on November 9 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Some of the Pakistan’s players also started training at Pindi on Thursday. Pakistan will also add a couple of fast bowlers to the Test squad. And the best performers of the side match against Sri Lanka may get the chance to join the elite squad which will be led by star batsman Babar Azam.

Babar was part of the Lahore Whites during the first round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in order to get some practice ahead of the first Test.

Sri Lanka are well-settled in Pakistan, having already played a three-match T20I series against Pakistan and the ODI tri-series which Pakistan won after beating Sri Lanka in the final on October 31 at Lahore.

The side match pitch was bowlers friendly and batsmen from both sides struggled a lot in settling down as only three fifties came in the entire game.

It is also highly expected that the first Test will also be played on a pace-friendly track.

The Test series is very crucial for Pakistan as they reel at the ninth spot among the world’s top ten Test playing nations currently engaged in the World Test Championship.