By BV Swagath
Stumps on Day 1: Pakistan finished Day 1 of the Second Test at SSC, Colombo with a commanding total of 334 for 1! Opener Mohammad Hafeez carried his bat through in the day’s play with an unbeaten 172 (from 281 balls with 18 fours and a six).
Azhar Ali, combined with Hafeez to put up a massive unbroken stand of 256 runs for the 2nd wicket. The Pakistani no.3 will be eyeing a century tomorrow morning having finished with a score of 92* (from 187 balls with 6 fours).
For Mohammad Hafeez, it was a career highest score and he was lucky to get two lives to reach that. If in the afternoon session, he was caught behind off a noball from Nuwan Pradeep, in the final session, he got feather edge to a turning delivery from Rangana Herath with the second new ball. However, the Umpire failed to pick that tiny little outside edge to break the hearts of the Sri Lankan players.
Tea on Day 1: Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali batted out the entire afternoon session to frustrate the Sri Lankans. Pakistan eased to 217 for 1 in in 57 overs by Tea with Hafeez registering his 5th Test century. Just at the brink of Tea, Hafeez (105* from 171 balls with 13 fours) was caught down the legside by the diving keeper in an attempted pull off a short ball from Angelo Mathews. However, it was revealed that Mathews had overstepped the bowling crease to miss out on Hafeez’s wicket.
Azhar Ali, who has added 139 runs for the 2nd wicket with Hafeez so far has helped himself to 45 * (from 98 balls with 4 fours).
Lunch on Day 1: Pakistan had a solid morning session at 94 for 1 in perfect batting conditions at the SSC. The only casualty of the first session was left-hander Taufeeq Umar, who was caught behind by the Keeper in an attempted cut shot off Angelo Mathews.
Taufeeq Umar was finding some form before he got out on 65 (from 74 balls with 12 fours) in the 22nd over. Umar dominated the opening stand of 78 getting almost 90% of the runs on his own. His partner Mohammad Hafeez collected 20* (from 73 balls with a four) and is at the crease with Azhar Ali, who is on 8*.
Toss and Teams: Sri Lanka has won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first in the Second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. The hosts have gone in with an unchanged side that won the Galle Test. For Pakistan, there is a big blow with Umar Gul missing the Test with an ankle injury. He gives way to Aizaz Cheema. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is back after serving his one-match ban and making way for him is Mohammad Ayub.
Sri Lanka: Tharanga Paranavitana, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene (Wicket Keeper), Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Pradeep
Pakistan: Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (Wicket Keeper), Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan
