http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Junaid-Khan-c77037 – Cricket News Update
Sri Lanka’s premier batsman, Kumar Sangakkara, has praised http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s left-arm fast bowler, Junaid Khan, and admitted that the youngster troubled the Islanders in the evening session of the Colombo Test’s fourth day.
Leading the three-match series 1-0, the home team batted brilliantly in their first innings, replying to a mammoth total set by the Green Shirts. Sangakkara, along with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691, accumulated 225 runs for the second-wicket partnership and took
their team to the shores of safety.
However, the visitors bounced back in the third session of the day’s play and picked up four wickets, thanks to a brilliant spell by Junaid, who bowled with pace and fire with the old ball.
Out of Junaid’s three wickets in the innings so far, two came in the fourth day’s evening session, when he trapped Dilshan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 in front of the wickets.
The former Sri Lankan captain, who has been in sublime form in the current series, is impressed by the 22-year-old fast bowler and believes that his spell with the old ball triggered the home side’s mini-collapse.
"Junaid Khan bowled a pretty good spell and he made the difference at the end of the day," Sangakkara said. "By getting Mahela out, I thought that was quite an important wicket, especially with about 12 overs to go. The batsmen coming after that had to play
a kind of a negative game and that usually allows the bowling side to take the upper hand."
At stumps on day four, the left-handed top-order batsman was unbeaten on 144 runs. The former skipper praised the aggressive knock by Dilshan and said that the opener took the pressure off him.
Dilshan scored 121 runs off just 195 balls, in which he struck 13 boundaries and a massive six. This is his consecutive century in the series.
"I thought Dilshan batted beautifully, but unfortunately he got out at that time. Pakistan held their nerve and with the old ball reversing they managed to kind of shift the momentum their way," Sangakkara added.
Pakistan had a slight advantage at the close of play on day four but taking into account the nature of the pitch at Colombo, a draw seems like an inevitable result.
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