Game taken for another day
Pakistan middle-order batted adamantly and delayed a certain Sri Lanka win by another day as the lead was extended further to 107 runs when rain halted the fourth day’s play of the second Test at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
After striking early to snatch three wickets, before Pakistan could settle in, in the second innings, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan batted resolutely as wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed further frustrated the Sri Lankans with an unbeaten knock of 70. Pakistan had made 330 for the loss of seven wickets, but the determined fight-back posted by the trio, also coupled up with stubborn knocks from Asad Shafiq and then Bilawal Bhatti, only proved the lack of variety in the Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Pakistan batsman Sarfraz Ahmed lunges forward to defend the ball off Rangana Herath as wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene looks during the fourth day of the second cricket Test in Dubai yesterday. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA
Pakistan, batting the entire fourth day, added 198 runs and lost four wickets, being forced to adopt a completely strange brand of batting style.
With the dramatic turn of events, Sri Lanka can only hope to for a delayed win, if their bowlers manage to grab the remaining three Pakistani scalps during the first hour of today’s play or else expect otherwise. Pakistan has the potential to finish off the game as a draw if they manage to bat the entire first session of the final day and go beyond it on a pitch that is predicted to be a batsman’s paradise.
Skipper Angelo Mathews used six bowlers, including himself and Kumar Sangakkara who bowled the penultimate over before the rain stoppage. Sri Lanka’s pace trio Nuwan Pradeep, Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal were effective in their quest while left-arm spinner Rangana Herath was spot on as usual.
Pakistan had lost their top three wickets for a total of 19, until Misbah and Khan came in to anchor their fight back and turnaround the script of the game. The hosts were trailing by 223 runs after Sri Lanka was restricted to 388 in reply to Pakistan’s meager first innings total of 165. Their woes worsened when Herath sent back opener Ahmed Shehzad for nine and Pradeep struck 
twice within three overs to grab the wickets of Khurram Manzoor and Mohammad Hafeez for six and one respectively.
But Sri Lanka’s celebrations transformed into a desperate struggle as they were clueless to counter Misbah and Khan. The pair, with unbeaten half centuries, took Pakistan from the devastating heats into unruffled shelter by ending the third day with an unbroken partnership of 113 runs for the fourth wicket. They resumed play yesterday with the clear intention of turning the game around but the effort was half done when Lakmal struck early in the day to have Khan caught behind for 77 runs. Khan was not given the room to settle down as he added just 15 runs to his overnight tally and walked back to the pavilion after having faced 173 deliveries and hitting five fours.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and bowler Rangana Herath celebrates
But Misbah continued with his vigil, beginning from his overnight score of 53; as he went on to frustrate the Sri Lankan bowlers for the next 35 odd overs. Misbah found a good partner in Asad Shafiq who faced 75 deliveries for his resolute knock of 23 before Eranga made the breakthrough soon after the new ball was obtained in the 82nd over. By then Misbah and Shafiq had further extended Pakistan’s hopes of salvaging for a draw with a 52-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Misbah was well set for a well deserved century until Herath came out with a stunner, an unsuspecting delivery that pitched on the middle and turned towards the right to disturb the off stump. By then he had faced 248 deliveries and was just three runs away from reaching the triple figure, while hitting eight boundaries and a six.
His partner Sarfraz Ahmed, who took the reins on his shoulders later on, associated Misbah in a partnership of 45 runs for the sixth wicket. Ahmed got together with Bilawal Bhatti, who walked in with the bat after his unfinished mission in the first essay to post 67 runs for the seventh wicket and further strengthen Pakistan’s hope of a draw. Bhatti who remained unbeaten on 24 in Pakistan’s first innings, was clean bowled by Eranga for 32. He faced 75 deliveries and his four boundaries as Ahmed remained unbeaten on 70 off 123 balls with seven fours when the fourth day came to a premature end, when heavy rains invaded the ground.
| Scoreboard
Pakistan 1st innings 165 all out in 63.5 overs (Khurram Manzoor 73, R. Herath 3 for 26, N. Pradeep 3 for 62, Shamind aEranga 2 for 25, Suranga Lakmal 2 for 45) |