RAWALPINDI – Pakistan Shaheens gained a 143-run first innings lead against Sri Lanka ‘A’ after they were bowled out for 258 on day two of the first four-dayer at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
In turn, Sri Lanka closed the day with 77-1 on the board in their second innings and with a deficit of 66 runs.
Gritty half-centuries from Hussain Talat (56), Rohail Nazir (55) and Ali Zaryab (55), which included five fours each, put Pakistan Shaheens ahead of Sri Lanka ‘A’ after they resumed their first innings from an overnight score of 66-2.
After Mohammad Suleman and Haider Ali returned to the dugout with the scorecard reading 90-4, Ali and Hussain dug deep to put on 42 runs for the fifth wicket.
Hussain then joined forces with Rohail Nazir to stitch a 72-run sixth-wicket partnership to steer the Shaheens out of trouble before the former departed in the 65th over.
Rohail, who brought up his 11th first-class half-century, also added a valuable 29 runs for the ninth wicket with Sameen Gul (13) as the duo took Shaheen’s total from 228-8 to 258 all out. Test fast bowler Vishwa Fernando spearheaded the Sri Lanka ‘A’ attack with four scalps while Isitha Wijesundara and Nisala Tharaka bagged two wickets each.
Khurram Shahzad, who picked up four wickets in the first innings, struck in the first over to remove Oshada Fernando for a five-ball duck. Ahan Wickramasinghe (48) and Nipun Dhananjaya (23) did the repair work for Sri Lanka ‘A’ as they partnered for an unbeaten 76-run second-wicket stand to take their team to stumps safely.
