Pakistan continued dominating Sri Lanka as they amassed 553/3 declared in their second innings. In the process, they set Sri Lanka a massive target of 476. Shan Masood (135), Abid Ali (174), Azhar Ali (118), and Babar Azam (100*) all scored their centuries and they sent the visitors on a leather hunt.
With this, Pakistan became only the second side after India where the top-four batsmen amassed century in a single inning of a Test. Dinesh Karthik, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar scored individual hundreds against Bangladesh back in 2007 at Dhaka.
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Sri Lanka lost skipper Dimuth Karunaratne for 16, Kusal Mendis for a duck and Angelo Matthews for 19 as Pakistan’s pace attack spat fire on a lifeless National stadium pitch.
“The domestic cricket I’ve played has served me well, and it was all for this moment,” Abid said after his century. “Wherever I’ve gone, whichever region or department I played for gave me the confidence to play well today. In the 105 first-class matches I played before this game, all I was focused on was I had to take my chance whenever I was given one. I was intent on being positive, and that’s always the way I look to play.”
Abid, nicknamed “legend” in Pakistan’s dressing room, hit 174 for his second hundred in as many Tests -- becoming the first Pakistani and ninth batsmen overall to score two centuries in his first two Tests.
{{/usCountry}}Abid, nicknamed “legend” in Pakistan’s dressing room, hit 174 for his second hundred in as many Tests -- becoming the first Pakistani and ninth batsmen overall to score two centuries in his first two Tests.
{{/usCountry}}The Test series is the first in Pakistan since the attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 suspended international cricket in the country.
(With agency inputs)