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Tea Pakistan 100 and 205 for 5 (Younis 81*, Ayub 5*) need another 305 runs to beat Sri Lanka 472 and 137 for 5 dec
Asad Shafiq made a solid half-century © AFP
After three days of meek surrender, Pakistan finally found their backbone as Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan defied Sri Lanka for nearly two sessions on the fourth day in Galle. Younis gave another demonstration of his fourth-innings mastery, while Shafiq once again showed his appetite for a scrap, as he had in his two previous Tests, against England, before falling half an hour before tea. Their resistance made little difference to the overall match situation, however, as Pakistan still remain more than 300 runs away from victory, and four sessions away from safety.
Pakistan's only casualty in the morning was the nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal, run-out in the second over of the day after a direct hit by Suraj Randiv from cover. An early finish to the game looked on the cards when Younis started to walk off after seemingly holing out to mid-off, but there was some doubt over whether Tillakaratne Dilshan had got his fingers under the ball as he took a low catch. It was hard to tell from the replays, and Younis was given the benefit of the doubt.
The only other clear-cut chance in the session for Pakistan was when Kumar Sangakkara put down a tough catch at midwicket off Shafiq ten minutes before lunch. There were a few mild lbw appeals, and Shafiq's french-cut for four early in his innings, but for the most part, Younis and Shafiq were more comfortable than any other Pakistan pair has been this match.
They didn't go into a defensive shell, looking to score even though the target was well out of sight. Younis used the sweep, mostly the conventional version but on one occasion the reverse as well. Shafiq capitalised on the deliveries bowled on his pads, and also pulled out some hard-hit lofted shots as Sri Lanka's bowlers were made to wait for a breakthrough longer than they have had all match.
The pattern continued after lunch as well, as the pair negated the generally slow spin easily. Both batsmen confidently used their feet against spin, and were quick to put away the loose deliveries. Sri Lanka's fast bowlers weren't at their best, not testing the batsmen enough and being inconsistent with their lines, while the spinners patiently plugged away. The slow bowlers managed to find a few edges which didn't carry to slip on several occasions.
As the session progressed, it seemed Sri Lanka's best hope of a wicket would be once the new ball was taken, but Herath got one to spin off the pitch with pace, and Shafiq nicked it through to slip, via the wicketkeeper's gloves, to fall for 80.
Younis went on to become the first Pakistan batsman to complete 1000 runs in the fourth innings, and debutant Mohammad Ayub kept him company till tea as Pakistan looked to at least push the game into the fifth day.
Asad Shafiq made a solid half-century © AFP
After three days of meek surrender, Pakistan finally found their backbone as Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan defied Sri Lanka for nearly two sessions on the fourth day in Galle. Younis gave another demonstration of his fourth-innings mastery, while Shafiq once again showed his appetite for a scrap, as he had in his two previous Tests, against England, before falling half an hour before tea. Their resistance made little difference to the overall match situation, however, as Pakistan still remain more than 300 runs away from victory, and four sessions away from safety.
Pakistan's only casualty in the morning was the nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal, run-out in the second over of the day after a direct hit by Suraj Randiv from cover. An early finish to the game looked on the cards when Younis started to walk off after seemingly holing out to mid-off, but there was some doubt over whether Tillakaratne Dilshan had got his fingers under the ball as he took a low catch. It was hard to tell from the replays, and Younis was given the benefit of the doubt.
The only other clear-cut chance in the session for Pakistan was when Kumar Sangakkara put down a tough catch at midwicket off Shafiq ten minutes before lunch. There were a few mild lbw appeals, and Shafiq's french-cut for four early in his innings, but for the most part, Younis and Shafiq were more comfortable than any other Pakistan pair has been this match.
They didn't go into a defensive shell, looking to score even though the target was well out of sight. Younis used the sweep, mostly the conventional version but on one occasion the reverse as well. Shafiq capitalised on the deliveries bowled on his pads, and also pulled out some hard-hit lofted shots as Sri Lanka's bowlers were made to wait for a breakthrough longer than they have had all match.
The pattern continued after lunch as well, as the pair negated the generally slow spin easily. Both batsmen confidently used their feet against spin, and were quick to put away the loose deliveries. Sri Lanka's fast bowlers weren't at their best, not testing the batsmen enough and being inconsistent with their lines, while the spinners patiently plugged away. The slow bowlers managed to find a few edges which didn't carry to slip on several occasions.
As the session progressed, it seemed Sri Lanka's best hope of a wicket would be once the new ball was taken, but Herath got one to spin off the pitch with pace, and Shafiq nicked it through to slip, via the wicketkeeper's gloves, to fall for 80.
Younis went on to become the first Pakistan batsman to complete 1000 runs in the fourth innings, and debutant Mohammad Ayub kept him company till tea as Pakistan looked to at least push the game into the fifth day.