Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka –2nd Test - Day Two Recap
After a smooth buildup on the first day of the second Test at Colombo, the Pakistani juggernaut came to a sudden halt as the rain washed out most of the second day’s play and visitors frantic effort to push for a result against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 on a batting paradise
at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC).
Pakistan was 334 for 1 in their overnight score but only managed to add another 154 runs to their tally as the second day saw only 44.2 overs being played. The only highlight of the day was Azhar Ali’s well calculated 157 run century.
The day started on a slow note, Ali was in the 90s, which considerably slowed down the proceedings, but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898 kept chipping runs and moved closer to his double century.
However, when Hafeez was on 196, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559 bowled him a flighted and full delivery; enticing the opener to play a sweep, which he missed and was clean bowled, with a moment of lapse in concentration costing his wicket, eluding him with a rare feat to
score a double hundred.
Meanwhile, Ali continued with his tentative approach as he was a little over-cautious in getting to his hundred, and took another 34 balls to finally get to his third Test century, before the match was interrupted by rain, forcing the match officials for
an early lunch break.
After resumption, the 27-year-old, along with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319, for the third time in the series fell to a controversial decision,
an lbw, this time given by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Simon-James-Arnold-Taufel-c90354. The camera zoom-in suggested the ball had hit the gloves first before hitting the pad.
Misbah ul Haq, who had to sit out during the first Test at Galle due to a one-match ban, finally came to the crease. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 played positively after the rain interruption and kept the score board ticking with a healthy run rate, but on 486, the tourists
finally lost http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KMDN-Kulasekara-c1802 trying to play an unorthodox shot, reverse sweep, off Suraj Randiv.
This was the third and final Pakistani wicket to fall in the day. Captain Misbah was then joined by Asad Shafiq but another spell of rain again put the proceedings on hold and the day had to be called off eventually, with the expectation for an early start
on day three. At the close of play, skipper Misbah ul Haq was undefeated at 29 with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Asad-Shafiq-c46208, who was on 1.
With the forecast of further thunderstorms over the remaining days of the Test and an increasingly slow wicket, the match is likely to be heading for a draw.
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