Having lost the first Test against Pakistan, Sri Lanka made a great comeback in the second Test and won it by a whopping 246 runs. With this win, the two-match Test series is drawn at 1-1 and both teams will share the trophy.
Talking of the game, it was an all-round performance from the home team and equally bad by the visiting team. To go from winning the first test with a record-breaking run chase, this Pakistan loss must hurt the losing team and a deep look at their team would be needed.
Prabath Jayasuriya has come up as the find of the series having taken 17 wickets in just two matches. Dinesh Chandimal has also ascended to a different level with 271 runs in two matches with an average of 90.33.
Coming onto the second Test, Sri Lanka made 378 runs in their first innings on the back of an 80 from Chandimal. Pakistan’s bowling without Shaheen Afridi looked blunt and struggled to take wickets. Their batting in this match was equally poor with only Agha Salman coming up with a half-century (62).
In the first innings, Sri Lanka had already taken a lead of 147 runs. The duo of Ramesh Mendis and Jayasuriya ran circles around Pakistan batters and took eight wickets between them.
Although Sri Lanka’s top order failed to fire in the second innings, Dhananjaya de Silva’s 109 ensured that a comfortable lead was achieved. The home team declared, having taken a massive lead of 508 runs.
Pakistan needed an even more impressive chase to win the second one but they failed. They started cautiously but a comical collapse from 176-2 meant that the visiting team could not take the series home.
Captain Babar Azam tried to avoid the defeat with his 81 but a bad gameplan from the Pakistan team turned out to be their Achilles heel and the team was packed at 261. Jayasuriya took another fifer along with Mendis’ four wickets to give a thumping defeat to the visiting team. In the end, Pakistan lost by a huge 246 runs.
Twitter was quick to congratulate Sri Lanka who are climbing the ladder in Tests and also mocked Pakistan for their implosion on the last day. Let’s look at some of those tweets.
Sri Lanka won the ODI series vs Australia, Draw the Test series vs Australia and Draw the Test series vs Pakistan – they have played some very good cricket and given some joy to the whole people in the country.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 28, 2022
Srilanka Cricket in last 12 months
Won Test series vs WI
Whitewashed Zimbabwe in ODI series
Won ODI series v SA
Won Test series in Bangladesh
Won their first ODI series over AUS
in 12 yearsDrew Test series v Australia, the no 1 ranked Test team
Drew Test series v Pakistan pic.twitter.com/bQp4sTXqFs
— Arnav Singh (@Arnavv43) July 28, 2022
Pakistan Test team when they were smashing Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and South Africa at home
VsPakistan Test team when they faced Australia and Srilanka #PAKvSL#SLvPAK#Cricket pic.twitter.com/2FHQb5uYKf
— Arnav Singh (@Arnavv43) July 28, 2022
Most wickets after three Tests in career:
31 – Narendra Hirwani (Ind)
29 – PRABATH JAYASURIYA* (SL)
29 – Charles Turner (Aus)
27- Axar Patel (Ind)
27 – Rodney Hogg (Aus)#SLvsPAK pic.twitter.com/tubvpRY9mF— Lalith Kalidas (@lal__kal) July 28, 2022
Just a visual representation of Pakistan's batting #SLvsPAK pic.twitter.com/fvGPSz1NY9
— Abeera Ejaz BOT (@BeeraJazz) July 28, 2022
That's beyond impressive. What a find! @OfficialSLC #prabathjayasuriya #slc #slvspak pic.twitter.com/uhi3WLtjvj
— Thalzy ? (@theycallmethalz) July 28, 2022
Well Deserved win for Sri Lanka, they were the Better Side, We were very poor in All 3 Departs Specially. Our Captain, Bowlers, Fielding Coach and management need to do more home Work. We were tactically very poor in this Test. Congrats Sri Lanka ??? #SLvPAK
— ?????? ?????? ?? (@iam_JZK) July 28, 2022
A comical collapse when Pakistan were going steady has led to a hurried and embarrassing defeat.
No series win, it'll end 1-1.
Sri Lanka go 3rd in the WTC, Pakistan fall to 5th.#SLvPAK
— Change of Pace (@ChangeofPace414) July 28, 2022
Not the most clever approach to save the Test. Well played Sri Lanka on a fine win.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) July 28, 2022
Sri Lanka have shaken up the World Test Championship table with that win ?
Super comeback to level the series 1-1
Thank you, @TheRealPCB ??#LionsRoar #SLvsPAK— Mohammed Arshaad (@Arshaad97) July 28, 2022
Can't win series against WI ??
Can't win a single match against AUS?? at HOME
Can't win series against Srilanka ??Best team in the world ??
And they dream to play WTC final ?
?? WORST TEAM IN THE WORLD #CricketTwitter#SLvPAK— Md Jish@n?? (@Jishan9832) July 28, 2022
