Pakistani batsmen’s age-old weakness in negotiating a seaming wicket was once again exposed here after they were asked to bat first on a pitch which showed only a tinge of green and a bit of moisture in the initial hours.

Taking full advantage of the behaviour of the wicket, the Sri Lankan trio of Suranga Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga and Nuwan Pradeep played on the shortcomings of Pakistan batsmen to force them commit the same mistakes of playing erratic shots to get themselves out.

Opener Ahmed Shehzad was the only one beaten by movement off the pitch but several including Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq were out to injudicious choice of strokes, nibbling and driving instead of restraining themselves the temptation of putting the bat to deliveries which seamed a shade, though not in anyway disconcertingly.

Khurram Manzoor, while living dangerously, did show defiance and managed to prolong the team’s demise which looked imminent right from the start. At the end of Pakistan’s innings even Rangana Herath bowling faster than usual also reaped the desired result to be amongst the wickets.

Having been a witness to Pakistan’s unpredictability and lack of skills with the bat during the past, I get the feeling that they all have the same characteristics to fish outside the off stump, much like the tail-enders.

Misbah in the end was not wrong to keep faith in Khurram despite his failures but somehow I still maintain that he should have gone in with two specialist spinners in the side on a slow and seaming wicket which may offer bite and spin as the game progresses, a fact confirmed by the past record of the matches played here.

Pakistan in a way were fortunate too that a couple of chances were spilled by the Sri Lankan slip fielders or else it would have been even more embarrassing.

No matter what plans they have had in mind, I feel they should have considered left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman to strengthen their bowling rather than relying on Rahat Ali who as medium-pacer does not have the ability to bring the ball in. Most of the time he tends to bowl outside the off stump with the ball moving away, making it easier for the batsman to ignore it and feel at ease.

In this cat and mouse game in the present series, unless some positive moves are planned and practised, the desired result will be a forgone conclusion and even the threat of a disappointing end would continue to loom.

The Sri Lankans, having taken full measure of Pakistan’s weaknesses and strengths in the drawn first Test, realise fully well the importance of occupying the crease. On this pitch if batsmen of the type of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews stick around to pile up a sizeable lead, this Test may start to pose huge problems for Misbah’s men who in the end may regret not playing a specialist spinner to partner Saeed Ajmal.