Having tasted defeat in the first Test against Pakistan, Sri Lanka hoped to bounce back in the second and that is turning out to be true for the home side. Having made 378 runs in their first innings, the Sri Lanka team got contributions from all of its batters. Openers Oshada Fernando came up with a half-century knock along with the other opener and captain Dimuth Karunaratne (40), who gave Sri Lanka a great start.
The veteran, Angelo Mathews, also came up with important 42 runs in the middle. It was, however, Dinesh Chandimal again, who was as the best batter from the side. Currently, in the form of his life, Chandimal made 80 before being dismissed by Mohammad Nawaz.
Sri Lanka wicket-keeper batter, Niroshan Dickwella also made a quickfire fifty (51) to add important runs to the team’s total. Shaheen Afridi was out of the match due to a knee injury which is why Pakistan lacked a bit of edge in their bowling. Naseem Shah and Yasir Shah came up with three wickets each.
Coming on to bat in the second innings, last match’s centurion Shafique Abdullah got out on the second ball of the inning in what was a poor start to Pakistan’s batting. Imam-ul-Haq (32) steadied the innings with captain Babar Azam (16) for a while but both could not stop the fall of wickets for long. Agha Salman was the only Pakistan batter to make a half-century at the end of Day 2. Salman got out on 62 by Prabath Jayasuriya as the last wicket of the day.
Jayasuriya took two and Ramesh Mendis came up with three with Asith Fernando and Dhananjaya de Silva coming up with one wicket each. Pakistan at the end of the second day are struggling at 191/7, with Yasir Shah batting at 13. It would require a record-breaking innings from Pakistan’s lower order to reach Sri Lanka’s first innings target.
Let’s look at some reactions from Twitter after the end of the second day of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan second Test match:
Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya has dismissed, Test No. 2 ranked Marnus Labuschagne twice, Test No. 3 ranked Steve Smith once (for a duck) and Test No.4 ranked Babar Azam twice in his first 5 Test bowling inns. Impressive. ?? #Cricket
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) July 25, 2022
Stumps
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2nd Test
Pakistan tour of Sri LankaPAK 191/7 (69.4 ov)
SL 378
Yasir Shah* 13(61)
Prabath Jayasuriya 2/59 (27.4 ov)
Day 2 – Pakistan trail by 187 runs.SL in control@espncricinfo :https://t.co/3defdQSm7P
— Kamran Beg (@KamranBeg3) July 25, 2022
Ex @TheRealPCB test captain @TheLeftySohail is doing a wonderful job in the commentary box during Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka test series. Unfortunately, we miss this brilliant commentator in @thePSLt20 & home series.#PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/x137N4UaGP
— Syed Yahya Hussaini (@SYahyaHussaini) July 25, 2022
Jayasuriya gets Agha Salman for 62 (126)
And Stumps on Day 2
What a big moment for Sri Lanka
They are advantage now
Huge blow for Pakistan
Pakistan 191-7 , trailing by 187 runs— Mehedi Shawon (@VamosRafa___) July 25, 2022
JAYASURIYA MERA DUSHMAN HAI, PEHLE BABAR KO OUT KIYA AB SALMAN KO??
— Aruba | Shanzay Stan? (@arubah56) July 25, 2022
Dines chandimal was always touted to be the senior player after the retirement of sangavand mahela but he never lived up to that expectation…now slowly he's coming back to top form
— MEM (@BigMoe90133612) July 25, 2022
The moment Hasan dropped Chandimal on like 10 odd was the moment we lost this match
— Prince ?????? (@AzzyShahzzy) July 25, 2022
TheThe world cricket which celebrated Johny Bairstow scoring runs on flat tracks is silent on Dinesh Chandimal scoring vital test runs in tough spinning conditions. #SLvsPAK #CricketTwitter #SLvsPAK pic.twitter.com/bpz9z4dgbV
— Raamin Zayn (@Picknaw_bigwn) July 25, 2022
Dinesh Chandimal in his last five Tests: 66, 39/ 124, 0/ 13, 206/ 76, 94… And yesterday first innings score was 80..
Kohli ???????
— Otis Milburn (@mjtheorem) July 25, 2022
Most catches by Pakistani fielders since Babar Azam's debut across formats:
103 – Babar Azam*
64 – Fakhar Zaman
55 – Mohammad Hafeez
49 – Shoaib Malik– It was just a bad day at office for Babar Azam. This is part of the game. So, don't show blind hate.#BabarAzam? | #PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/H2xR1IeBnk
— Akila Dilshan Ranathunga (@AkilaDilshR) July 25, 2022
