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SL vs PAK, 2nd Test: Dinesh Chandimal grinds the visitors
Chandimal clocked his 23rd Test fifty (Source: Twitter/@ICC)

SL vs PAK, 2nd Test: Dinesh Chandimal grinds the visitors

Jul 18, 2022
06:56 pm

What's the story

Fifties from Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, and Dinesh Chandimal put Sri Lanka on top of Pakistan on Day 3 of the first Test. Sri Lankan batters exhibited resistance till the final moments to be the better side in contention. For Pakistan, spinners Mohammad Nawaz (5/88) and Yasir Shah (3/122) were spot on with their lengths. SL (329/9) have managed a lead of 333 runs.

Wickets

Yasir ramps up his Test wicket-tally

Yasir would be pleased with his Day 3 heroics. He bowled full to get a thick edge off Fernando, who was caught at slips. He then bowled a jaffa, pitching a delivery way outside leg that turned sharply to clip Mendis' off stump. A quicker one bowled out Dhananjaya de Silva. He concluded the day with figures of 3/122.

Five-fer

Maiden five-wicket haul for Nawaz

Nawaz had last played a Test in 2016. However, the 28-year-old made his wait count as he trumped the Lankans' top and middle order on his Test return. He snapped up his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests (5/88). These are the second-best figures by a bowler in the ongoing Test after Prabath Jayasuriya's 5/82. Nawaz now has 11 Test wickets at 23.00.

Knock

Sixth Test fifty for Fernando

Fernando, who resumed on 17*, showcased sheer class as he piled up a valiant 125-ball 64. He slammed a four toward mid-off, and later, ran a single off Yasir to register his sixth fifty in whites. The opener hit six fours and a six before he edged one to Babar Azam at slips. He now has 245 Test runs against Pakistan at 49.00.

Mendis

15th Test fifty for Mendis

Mendis, who came out to bat at 41/2, hammered Pakistan's bowling attack. He belted Yasir for boundaries throughout his stay. The number-four batter slammed nine fours en route to his 126-ball 76. He clocked his 15th fifty in Tests and first against Pakistan. Most notably, Mendis fetched a 91-run stand with Fernando to power the Lankans past 170.

Chandimal

Chandimal's purple patch continues!

Chandimal's pursuit of excellence saw him crack his 23rd fifty in whites. He forged a key 40-run stand with de Silva, and later, hoarded decent partnerships with the tail-enders. He stayed unscathed on 86 off 121 deliveries, hitting five fours and two sixes. It was his second fifty-plus score of the ongoing Test. He has raced past 4,800 (4,827) Test runs at 43.09.