GALLE: Angelo Mathews’s half-century and an unbeaten 94 from Dhananjaya de Silva took Sri Lanka to 242/6 at the stumps on Day 1 against Pakistan despite a ruthless opening session spell by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
After opting to bat first in the first Test of the two-match series, Sri Lanka were 242/6 with Dhananjaya de Silva just six runs away from the century.
The home side endured the wrath of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who returned to Test cricket after a year-long hiatus.
The left-arm pacer ran through the Sri Lankan top-order with three wickets in his first spell.
Shaheen’s first scalp of the match – Nishan Madushanka (4) – also propelled him to breach the 100 Test wickets mark.
Naseem Shah also joined Shaheen and added to the misery of the home side by removing Dinesh Chandimal for a mere one.
With Chandimal’s dismissal, Sri Lanka slipped to 54/4 but Mathews soon joined hands with Dhananjaya de Silva to launch an astounding recovery.
The pair added 131 runs for the fifth wicket and pulled their side out of trouble before mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed got a much-needed breakthrough in the form of Mathews.
The right-handed batter scored a cautious 64 off 109 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries.
Following Mathews’s dismissal, de Silva then stitched a 57-run partnership with Sadeera Samarawickrama.
The pair was looking in control to bat through the rain-hit opening day but Samarawickrama fell to Agha Salman on what turned out to be the final delivery.
He played an important 36-run knock which ended courtesy of a sensational catch by Imam-ul-Haq.
Samarawickrama’s dismissal in the closing minutes brought Pakistan back into the game but Sri Lanka’s mainstay de Silva remained firm at the crease.
He scored an unbeaten 94 from 157 balls, laced up with 10 boundaries and three sixes.
Shaheen Shah Afridi spearheaded Pakistan’s bowling charge with three wickets while Naseem, Abrar and Salman made one scalp each.