Sri Lanka batsmen secure draw
Sangakkara scored 211 during a marathon near eleven-hour stay while Prasanna made 120, for his fourth century, as Sri Lanka piled on 483 to frustrate Pakistan on the fifth and final day at Abu Dhabi stadium.
A cluster of wickets in the final session, with Umar Gul taking four for 64, left Pakistan with a target of 170 in a maximum of 20 overs, but they called it quits on 21 for one after 10 overs.
Sangakkara frustrates Pakistan
Sangakkara finally fell in the last over before tea, when he was trapped leg-before wicket by part-time leg-spinner Azhar Ali for his first wicket in Test cricket but not before he had frustrated Pakistan for almost two sessions.
Sangakkara batted for 651 minutes, faced 431 deliveries and hit 18 boundaries during an epic knock. He reached his double hundred after 604 minutes of defiant batting.
With 25 overs remaining in the match, Prasanna was dismissed by Cheema but by that time he and Sangakkara had changed the game’s course.
Together with Prasanna, Sangakkara added 201 for the sixth wicket, erasing the previous best of 169 in Pakistan-Sri Lanka Tests for this wicket between Kamran Akmal and Yasir Arafat in 2009.
Sangakkara, 33, also achieved a personal landmark by scoring the double hundred as he is now third behind Sir Donald Bradman (12) and Brian Lara (nine) in terms of scoring Test double hundreds.
Earlier, resuming at 298 for five, Sri Lanka survived the morning session unscathed as the overnight pair of Sangakkara and Prasanna kept Pakistan’s three-pronged pace attack at bay to take their team to 364 for five at lunch.
Pakistan fielders dropped six catches in the innings, including one off Sangakkara when he was on 11.
The former captain was delighted to have achieved a draw for his team.“It was nice to bat under pressure and get us out of the hole,” said Sangakkara. “Prasanna batted equally well as he came out with the second new ball in play.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq praised Sri Lanka batsmen’s fine effort.
“They are a good team and showed that wonderfully by their effort. Full marks to Sangakkara and Prasanna,” he said. “But we let down quite a few chances, which we need to improve upon.”
The second Test starts in Dubai on October 26, while the third will be played in Sharjah from November 3.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (9)
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most of time Pakistan lose match on poor fielding . . .
Junaid bowled wonderfully. He is a good find for Pakistan!
I think they should drop the Cheema guy to bring in Wahab Riaz. Gul, Junaid, Wahab - nice pace attack.
Pakistani mentality was extremely disappointing. They should have at least tried to go for the kill, in the first ten overs. If it seemed likely to achieve the target, they could have continued playing. There would be no harm. I fail to understand how a team can not try and win a match they've performed well in up to the last point. Extremely sad situation.
Sri Lanka would have gone for the kill, as the commentators rightly stated. Even as Misbah states its a different ball game - heroes are made out of situations like these. I'm sorry to say, Pakistan will never achieve that anymore. Those days are long gone. Well done to Sri Lanka, and I wish I was supporting a team with a bit more fire in them.
Where is the news of indian wins over englang cricket team match. Et alwase shows news when india lost thier matches.thats not fair.
good bowling by umer gul but he dropped a catch.
Better luck next time; however, not a bad attempt to pulverise Srilanka in the first test. Everything was fine except the catch of sangakara dropped by Hafeez. Had that catch been taken the result of this matck could have been favourable for Pakistan. Now Srilanka would be in upper- hand psychologically, bewildered Pakistan after this stunning show put up by Srilanka will feel the heat in the second test match.Only time will tell that which team triumph under the scorching heat of U.A.E.
When will they improve their fielding?
Catches win matches. Please add that to the tasks for Pakistan team.