AZHAR ALI SHINES
The second day of the second Test match at the SSC ground turned out to be frustrating for both teams particularly for Pakistan who most probably had in mind making a substantial score for a declaration.
But the weather gods made things impossible as only 44.2 overs of play was possible in two sessions of play with play being called off at 4.30 p.m. The first stoppage due to rain came just ten minutes away from the lunch break after which play was possible with the players coming into the field with two hours lost. But even then only another 90 minutes of play was possible again when the rains come down for the second time.
The two short sessions of play saw Sri Lanka being successful in grabbing three wickets while in the Pakistan camp it was a disappointing day for Hafeez who was unfortunate to miss out on his maiden double ton.
Hafeez and Azhar Ali made steady progress in the morning session but Hafeez unlike Ali who was bat- ting with cautious seemed to be a man in hurry. His impatience saw his downfall as he fell short by four runs having added 24 runs to his overnight score of 172 after mistiming a Herath delivery which only succeeded in having his stumps disturbed.
The pair added 287 runs for the second wicket and this was incidentally the highest partnership against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka,
Ali on the other hand though batting with patience was stuck in the nervous 90's for a considerable period and in the process faced over 40 balls before reaching his ton which he achieved with a boundary off a of Nuwan Pradeep delivery to record his second ton against Sri Lanka and his career.
Younis Khan in the meantime having joined Ali frustrated the Sri Lankan bowlers further, who were made to toil on a dead wicket that only favoured the batsmen. The pair having added 39 runs from just under 13 overs was forced back to the pavilion due to a heavy shower with ten minutes away from the lunch break.pakistan’s approach in the second session was a bit aggressive than the first but then it was too late as the rain had the last say. In the 18 overs
they faced in this session the Pakistanis made 80 runs in contrast to the 70 from 26 overs in the first session. pakistan lost two wickets in the second session that of Younis Khan who made a brisk 32 and adding 70 runs for the third wicket with Ali.
Ali was the next to go as he went for reverse sweep and succeeded in lofting a simple catch to Nuwan Kulasekera at point off Suraj Randiv.
The second stoppage came four balls after the dismissal of Ali which forced the officials to call off the proceedings for day two.