Pakistan made 488 for the loss of four wickets on the second day of the second test against Sri Lanka when rain stopped play for a second time in the day. No further play was possible because of the looming clouds and the ground conditions.
Umpires called off the game at 4.15 p.m. The third day’s play will commence 15 minutes early.
Earlier in the day, the desire of the overnight batsmen, Mohammed Hafeez and Azhar Ali, to reach their individual landmarks slowed down Pakistan’s run quest. On Saturday, the Pakistan batsmen were marginally quicker scoring 334 in 90 overs; on Sunday, in 44 overs, they managed 154. Pakistan would have been better off had they set a target for themselves since they are 1-0 down in the three match series.
The only tricky issue in the Sinhalese Sports Grounds is in making the decision on declaration. One can never say for sure how many runs are enough on the only batting paradise in Sri Lanka. And that will be the dilemma that faces Pakistan as it comes into bat on Day 3 of the test.
There is nothing in the pitch to suggest that it will turn around and help the bowlers.
In the morning session on Day 2, the lone wicket to fall was that of Mohammed Hafeez (196), whose attempted sweep managed to cut through the air, and completely missed a Herath delivery that homed in on to the stumps.
Pakistan started sedately this morning, with both Hafeez (on 172 then) and Azhar Ali (92 when play began) conscious of their approaching milestones. Both were too watchful - and it also did not help their cause that the overnight rains had left a little bit in the pitch for the Sri Lankan bowlers.
Ali’s century (317 m, 221 balls, 7x4) came after the 150 plus score against England in the third test at ‘home,’ in the United Arab Emirates. Ali spent 48 balls in the nervous nineties - nine excruciating balls on 99 - to get the all-important single to take him to his second hundred in three test matches as Pakistan consolidated its position on day 2 of the second test here. Lunch was taken 10 minutes earlier, as rain intervened. Pakistan went to lunch, with the scoreboard reading 404 for the loss of two wickets.
Azhar Ali finally went to an attempted reverse sweep. The Randiv delivery was nowhere in the region required for the sweep, but Ali, who had pre-meditated the stroke, went through the motions. His desire to clear backward point remained just that: Kulasekara, Pakistan’s nemesis for quite a while now, pulled off an ordinary catch.
Younus Khan (32), Pakistan’s hero of the first test, was the only one to miss out on a half century. As in the first innings, the leg before decision was doubtful. Khan would want the Decision Review System badly.
Sri Lanka last lost here in 2004, against Australia, in an unusual series. The heavy rains are dimming any hopes of a result other than a draw.
Scoreboard
Pakistan (1st innings): M. Hafeez b Herath 196, T.Umar c P.Jayawardene b Mathews 65, A. Ali c Kulasekara b Randiv 157, Younus Khan lbw Herath 32, Misbah-ul-Haq (batting) 29, Asad Shafiq (batting) 1. Extras: (lb 4, w 1, nb 3) 8. Total (for four wickets in 134.2 overs): 488.
Fall of Wickets: 1-78, 2-365, 3-435, 4-486.
Sri Lanka bowling: Kulasekera 27-6-87-0, Mathews 15-1-55-1, Pradeep 21.2-3-86-0, Randiv 25-0-107-1, Herath 45-5-143-2, Dilshan 1-0-9-0
