Pakistan won the 2nd test match and took the short series in Sri Lanka with a 2-0 margin. The win meant that Pakistan now have climbed to top of the table ahead of India with 24 points in the 2023-25 cycle for the World Test Championships. Pakistan won the test by an innings and 222 runs at the SSC ground in Colombo. The win came late on day 4 thanks to Noman Ali and Naseem Shah who spearheaded Pakistan to an easy and memorable win.
The story as it happened –
Pakistan came out to bat with Agha Salman and Mohammad Rizwan who had seen out the day. Abdullah Shafique had scored a memorable maiden double century to put the visitors in command of the second test.
Three strikes and three reviews lost for Pakistan –
Naseem Shah was given the ball to bowl the 62nd over to Ramesh Mendis. The first ball of the over saw Shah hit Mendis on the pads and go up for DRS. The call stayed in favor of the batter who was given not out as the ball was missing the stumps. The same happened the next ball.
Pakistan went in for yet another review and for the 2nd time they lost the DRS call as the ball was missed the stumps. It was an hattrick of DRS lost as the same thing happened with ball missing the stumps and Pakistan losing their 3rd review in a row. This left the fans and players stunned as well as the Pakistani coaching team.
Pakistan declare with a lead of 410 –
After bowling out Sri Lanka for 166, Pakistan managed to score 576 on the board to take a lead of 410. Abdullah Shafique top scored with 201 off 326 with 19 fours and 4 sixes. Agha Salman was not out on 132 off 154 balls with 15 fours and a six, while Mohammad Rizwan was not out on 50 off 67 balls with 4 fours and a six.
Noman Ali and Naseem Shah bowl out Pakistan –
36 year old left arm spinner, Noman Ali picked a career best 7/70. The left arm spinner had picked the first 7 wickets to fall. Just when it seemed Ali would pick all ten wickets, Naseem Shah burst through the Sri Lankan tail to bowl them out for 188. The top scorer for the home team was Angelo Mathews who was not out on 63 off 127 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes.
— Octopus Yadav (@OctopusYadav) July 27, 2023
Crazy over from Naseem Shah:
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 27, 2023
61.2 over - Umpire gives not-out, Pak reviews & it's missing.
61.3 over - Umpire gives out, Batter reviews & it's missing.
61.4 over - Umpire gives out, batter reviews & it's missing.
Naseem breathing fire, one of the best spell in this year. pic.twitter.com/pUK8gnDNpe
Naseem Shah, the bowler pic.twitter.com/8V7f3QDGsn
— 𝓢𝓮𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓱 🇵🇰 (@itsmeSehrish) July 27, 2023
Naseem Shah be like: pic.twitter.com/zmLxk43BI5
— muskan 🇵🇰 (@Musskey) July 27, 2023
Naseem Shah is the unluckiest bowler in Pakistan's side, doing all the hard work but still unable to get a wicket. Three balls, three missing stumps. #PAKvSL #SLvsPAK #SLvPAK #NaseemShah pic.twitter.com/RzJTSkUfnN
— Shaharyar Ejaz 🏏 (@SharyOfficial) July 27, 2023