Haq anchors Pakistan to victory

Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq plays a shot during the fifth and final day play of the first cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on 20 July 2023 – AFP 

• Take 1-0 lead in two-match series

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Opener Imam-ul-Haq with an unbeaten fifty anchored Pakistan to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first Test played at Galle on Thursday.

With the win Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and also picked up their first points (12) in the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.

The win came exactly one year after Pakistan’s last Test victory which was also against Sri Lanka at Galle on 20 July, 2022. Since then, Pakistan went through six Tests without a win until yesterday.

There were quite a few wobbles before Pakistan reached their target of 131 when they lost three wickets on the fifth morning before getting there.

Resuming at 48-3 and requiring a further 83 runs for victory Pakistan lost the wickets of skipper Babar Azam for 24, Saud Shakeel for 30 and Sarfaraz Ahmed for one, before Agha Salman ended the match with a six off left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya who accounted for two of the wickets to fall yesterday to finish with four wickets for 56.

The other wicket was captured by Ramesh Mendis who conceded 62 runs in his 14 overs.      

Despite the fall of wickets, Haq stood firm at the other end preventing Sri Lanka a breakthrough from both ends and ensured that Pakistan were not denied a win they thoroughly deserved.

From the moment Saud Shakeel and Agha Salman partnered in what turned out to be a match-winning 171 runs partnership in the first innings, Pakistan was always calling the shots.

Player of the Match Shakeel in fact ensured that Pakistan took a handy first innings lead of 149 by going onto compile a double century, the first by a Pakistani in Sri Lanka and his first in Test cricket.

One other outstanding feature of the match was Pakistan’s fielding which was top class to say the least. Seldom have we found Pakistan fielding so brilliantly and some of the catches they held were spectacular. Comparatively Sri Lanka put down a few vital chances and were made to pay for them dearly. Also, their choice of taking reviews was appalling.

The second Test starts at the SSC grounds on 24 July.