GALLE: Pakistan’s wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed on Monday, added another feather to his cap as he completed 3000 runs in Test cricket.
Sarfaraz Ahmed achieved the milestone when he surpassed eight runs in the first innings of the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka.
The wicketkeeper batter came out to bat when Pakistan were reeling at 73/4, fresh from the blow of their captain Babar Azam’s dismissal.
He put on a brief partnership with Saud Shakeel and added 28 runs to the total before Prabath Jayasuriya cut his knock short by trapping him in his legs.
Sarfaraz Ahmed could score 17 off 15 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.
When this story was filed Pakistan were five down for 115 in response to Sri Lanka’s 312.
The touring side had a dismal start to their innings as they lost their in-form opener Imam-ul-Haq (1) with just three runs on the scoreboard.
After a brief 44-run partnership between Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood, Sri Lanka launched a spin attack with Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis bowling in pair.
Jayasuriya removed Shafique to end the budding partnership before Mendis hit back to remove Masood, who was scoring at a brisk rate.
The left-handed batter scored a quick 39 off 30 deliveries, hitting five boundaries and a six.
Earlier in the opening session, Pakistan bowled out Sri Lanka for 312 after a gutsy century by Dhananjaya de Silva.
Sri Lanka, resuming at an overnight score of 242/6 with Dhananjaya de Silva just six shy of his century, could only add 70 runs for their last four wickets.
The right-handed batter, who, alongside Angelo Mathews, recovered Sri Lanka from a dismal start, continued his rhythm and notched up his well-crafted 10th century.
In the opening session on Day 2, de Silva put on brief partnerships with Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya before Naseem Shah finally got rid of him.
The right-handed batter top-scored for Sri Lanka with 122 off 214 deliveries, smashing 12 boundaries and three sixes.
Following the dismissal of their mainstay, Sri Lanka got a vital push courtesy of an astounding 28-run cameo by their No. 11 Vishwa Fernando.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Naseem picked up three wickets each while Salman Ali Agha made one scalp.
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