Rawalpindi Test: Shakeel joins unique list with twin 90-plus scores
What's the story
Star Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel came agonizingly close to scoring a century for the second time in the opening Test, scoring 97 runs in Pakistan's second innings against Sri Lanka. His performance helped Pakistan draw the series opener in Rawalpindi on Friday. Shakeel had earlier scored 93 runs in Pakistan's first innings total of 434/9 declared. He is now only the sixth batter to be dismissed between 90 and 99 in both innings of a single Test match.
Match details
Shakeel's innings and match details
Shakeel was dismissed by Lahiru Kumara after facing 210 balls in the third innings, leaving Pakistan at 284/8 with an overall lead of 272 runs.
With time running out for a result, both teams agreed to a draw.
This match also marked Pakistan's first draw in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, having suffered seven defeats and registered two wins in their previous nine matches.
Historical significance
Shakeel joins this list of batters
Shakeel's twin scores of 93 and 97 placed him on a unique list in Test cricket history.
Australia's Clem Hill (1902), England's Frank Woolley (1921), West Indies's Gordon Greenidge (1977 & 1980), and Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (2009) are the other batters to be dismissed between 90 and 99 in both innings of a single Test match.
Stats
4th fifty-plus score for Shakeel versus Sri Lanka
With these 90-plus scores, Shakeel has raced to 2,196 at 44.81 from 27 Test matches (51 innings).
He has hit 13 fifties and four hundreds.
As per Cricinfo, Shakeel now owns 485 runs from three matches against Sri Lanka at 121.25 (100s: 1, 50s: 3).
Shakeel now has 1,455 runs at home. From 15 matches (29 innings), Shakeel averages a solid 53.88 with the help of three tons and 10 fifties.