Shafique stands tall in record run chase

By Shehan Daniel reporting from Galle

A marathon innings from Abdullah Shafique carried Pakistan to a record-breaking win in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle yesterday, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

For someone relatively new to international cricket, aged 22 and playing just his sixth Test, Shafique’s innings was a display of patience and maturity, facing more than half of the deliveries bowled at his team – 408 in a total of 764. 

That put his name on a list among two of the best to have represented his country – only Babar Azam and Younis Khan have scored more in the fourth innings of a Test for Pakistan.  

When Shafique faltered the hosts were not sharp enough to capitalise, twice dropping catches offered by the centurion yesterday.

Having received a reprieve on 70 on day four, Shafique, at that point on 135, returned a catch to Dhananjaya de Silva, but the ball arrived too quickly for the off-spinner to hold on and slipped through his fingers.
Another, much easier, chance was gifted by the opener, on 151, playing a rare shot of aggression, slicing a slog sweep towards the deep square leg boundary, but Kasun Rajitha dropped a regulation catch, and with Pakistan just 19 runs from victory, it proved to be the final chance for the hosts.

Deservedly, Shafique scored the final runs, slapping a boundary off Prabath Jayasuriya through the covers to finish unbeaten on 160 and for Pakistan to complete the highest successful run chase in Galle.

When the day started, Pakistan needed 120 runs to win, and it started livelily for Sri Lanka, when Jayasuriya beat the defense of Mohammed Rizwan on the first ball of the day, which went with the arm but missed the top of off-stump by the smallest of margins.

Jayasuriya then hit the pad of Shafique in his next over but the batsman was adjudged not out by umpire Kumar Dharmasena.

Sri Lanka used one of their two remaining reviews but replays showed the ball clearly going over the stumps. The final review was expended in Jayasuriya’s fourth over, when an appeal for caught behind was turned down, but once again Umpire Dharmasena’s decision was confirmed to be correct with the ball missing the bat --Sri Lanka burning both their reviews seven overs into the day.

By the time Jayasuriya trapped Rizwan leg before wicket after the first drinks break, the target was only 66 runs away for Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s window of opportunity was fast closing.  

Where the hosts would have hoped for a flurry of wickets however, a 29-run partnership between Shafique and Agha Salman ensued, Jayasuriya once again making the breakthrough when the latter edged to Niroshan Dickwella at the stroke of lunch.

The wicket of Hasan Ali after the break renewed Sri Lanka’s hopes, but Shafique and Mohammed Nawaz shepherded Pakistan towards the final score.

Having loomed over the grounds for much of the day, the overcast clouds opened for a brief spell of rain, leading to an early tea break, but 16 balls after the resumption Pakistan gathered the final 11 runs they needed to cross the line.

Jayasuriya was excellent once again, taking 4 for 135 in total, and bowling 19 overs unchanged from the Galle Fort end.

The lack of support that was available to the left-arm spinner will be cause for concern for Sri Lanka however, Ramesh Mendis proving too expensive at times and Maheesh Theekshana not incisive enough.