Opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq hit an unbeaten 50 to steer Pakistan home in their tricky chase of 131 against Sri Lanka and win the first Test by four wickets on Thursday.
The tourists started the final day on 48-3 and lost three more wickets, including skipper Babar Azam for 24 off Prabath Jayasuriya, before they achieved the target in the first session.
Haq started the day on 25 and remained calm with Azam and then left-handed partner Saud Shakeel, who made a brisk 30 after his unbeaten 208 in Pakistan’s first innings.
Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq (L) celebrates after scoring a half-century during the final day play of the first cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 20, 2023. — AFP
Left-arm spinner Jayasuriya took four wickets including two on the evening of day four to give the hosts a glimmer of hope, but Haq stood firm.
Azam came out roaring as he hit a boundary off the first ball of the day and looked fluent in his 28-ball stay before being trapped lbw by Jayasuriya.
Shakeel took on the bowlers as well but off-spinner Ramesh Mendis got him caught behind.
Haq reached his eighth Test fifty before falling to Jayasuriya, but Agha Salman came out to hit the winning six.
Shakeel stood out for his maiden Test double century in Pakistan’s 461 all-out and a handy first-innings lead of 149 in the rain-hit match.
Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel (L) celebrates after scoring double centuries (200 runs) during the third day of the first cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 18, 2023.— AFP
Pakistan spinners Noman Ali and Abrar Ahmed made it count with three wickets each on Wednesday to help bowl out Sri Lanka for 279 despite Dhananjaya de Silva’s stubborn 82.
De Silva made 122 in Sri Lanka’s first innings of 312 after the hosts elected to bat first but soon Pakistan took control.
Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi took a match haul of five wickets on his return to Tests since a knee injury put him out of action a year ago at the same venue.
The second Test starts Monday in Colombo.
Soon after the Test concluded, the Pakistan Cricket Board tweeted a video of a “beaming” coach Grant Bradburn.
1st Test scoreboard
Final scoreboard on day five of the opening Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle on Thursday:
Sri Lanka 1st innings 312 (D. de Silva 122; Shaheen 3-86, Naseem 3-90, Abrar 3-68)
Pakistan 1st innings 461 (S. Shafique 208 not out, R. Mendis 5-136)
Sri Lanka 2nd innings 279 (D. de Silva 82; N. Ali 3-75, Abrar 3-68)
Pakistan 2nd innings (target 131 – overnight 48-3, Haq 25, Azam 6)
A. Shafique 8 c Samarawickrama b Jayasuriya8
Imam-ul-Haq 50 not out
S. Masood 7 c Madushka b Jayasuriya
N. Ali 0 run out (Mendis/Jayasuriya)0
B. Azam 24 lbw Jayasuriya
S. Shakeel 30 c Samarawickrama b Mendis
S. Ahmed 1 c Mendis b Jayasuriya
A. Salman 7 not out
6 Extras (b4, lb3)
Total (6 wickets, 32.5 overs)133
Did not bat: A. Ahmed, S. Shah Afridi, N. Shah
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Shafique), 2-36 (Masood), 3-38 (Noman), 4-79 (Azam), 5-122 (Shakeel), 6-127 (Sarfaraz)
Bowling: Fernando 2-1-6-0, Mendis 14-1-62-1, Jayasuriya 14.5-0-56-4, De Silva 2-1-2-0
Toss: Sri Lanka Result: Pakistan won by four wickets
Series: Pakistan lead the two-match series 1-0
Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
