RAWALPINDI: Though free tickets were provided to the cricket aficionados, only 2000 turned up to watch the 2nd day match between Green Shirts and the Sri Lankans here today.
Furthermore weather played its role to spoil the game and only 18.2 over could be bowled against Sri Lanka that commenced batting on 202 for 5. Pakistani bowlers only took one scalp of Niroshan Dickwella whose bat yielded 33 runs.
In the first session the rain stopped the match only after 35 minutes but that allowed Dhananjaya de Silva complete his sixth test half-century. Dhananjaya was unbeaten on 72 off 131 balls with 11 boundaries while Dilruwan Perera was 2 not out at at the close of the play.
When the game recommenced after a break of 2 hours, 43 minutes Dickwella was caught at gully off Shaheen Afridi. It is pertinent to mention here that Test cricket has returned to Pakistan after a long gap of 10 years.
Stumps Day 2: Sri Lanka: 263/6 (86.3 ov).
The second Test will be played at Karachi’s National Stadium from next Thursday.
ISLAMABAD: After gap of a decade the Sri Lankan cricket team arrived here today ahead of their Test series against Pakistan starting on Wednesday 11th of December.
The first Test will commence on Wednesday at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
Second test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is scheduled to be played in Karachi’s National Stadium from 19th till 23rd of December, 2019.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (skipper), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lakshan Sandakan. Substitute player from the end Test: Asitha Fernando.
Pakistan: Azhar Ali (skipper), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket keeper), Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah, and Usman Shinwari.
