First Test: Pakistan trail Sri Lanka by 153 runs with 266-4 at close

E-Paper | March 17, 2026

Pakistan trailed Sri Lanka by 153 runs in an evenly balanced first test after reaching stumps at 266-4 on the third day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Azhar Ali was 74 not out as Pakistan attempted to move in on the 419 posted by Sri Lanka, which included a ninth Test century from Dinesh Chandimal.

Pakistan resumed the day on 64-0 and extended the opening partnership to 114 before offspinner Dilruwan Perera claimed Sami Aslam lbw for 51.

Fellow opener Shan Masood went only two runs later for 59, bowled by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Azhar and Asad Shafiq (39) stabilised the innings with a 79-run partnership before Herath dismissed Shafiq.

Azhar then shared a 71-run partnership with Babar Azam (28). Azam was caught behind off a delivery from Nuwan Pradeep to end play for the day.

Herath finished with 2-47 off 25 overs.

Pakistan was 121-2 at lunch and went through the afternoon session without conceding a wicket to go to tea at 194-2.

Pakistan

Chandimal makes it tough for Pakistan

First Test: Pakistan 64-0 at stumps, chasing Sri Lanka's 419

Hafeez flies to India for bowling action test

Azmeen

Sep 30, 2017 02:01pm

All the best Pak team.

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Raja Parekh

Sep 30, 2017 02:04pm

Pakistan should be able to score 219.

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point of view

Sep 30, 2017 02:09pm

With 419 score of Sri Lanka in first inning, either Sri Lanka will win the match or it will draw. There is very remote chances for Pakistan to win this match.

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bangalore.citizen

Sep 30, 2017 02:41pm

Pakistan is playing for draw or what? Azhar Ali has scored 20 of 72 balls and Asad Shafiq has scored 14 of 55 balls on such a flat track!

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Sep 30, 2017 03:42pm

Excellent show by green-shirts amid one of the toughest playing conditions in the world during the hot, humid, dusty, rough and tough UAE weather conditions. Keep it up and hang on tough. May God Almighty grant you more successes in the days to come. Aameen, Tsum Aameen.

Recommend 0

MUHAMMAD IDREES KHAN

Sep 30, 2017 03:45pm

Pakistan can come back. All is not lost by return of two openers to the pavilion.

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Desi

Sep 30, 2017 04:29pm

Same tuk tuk batting continues. In 90 overs, the score is less than 200. Everyone blamed Misbah for tuk tuk but what is going on now. There is no Misbah here. The problem is with or players, they are all too defensive and are scared of playing aggressive shots. No captain,coach or manager can change that. It’s the player’s style.

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tochibawa

Sep 30, 2017 04:41pm

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Conditions remain same for Srilankans too.

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bangalore.citizen

Sep 30, 2017 04:53pm

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad ! Sir, even Sri Lanka is playing in the same conditions -- hot, humid, dusty, rough and tough! Or, are they playing video games in air-conditioned rooms?

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bangalore.citizen

Sep 30, 2017 04:59pm

@Desi ! I agree -- playing Test of 80s is not good for the game unless you are trying to draw a match. The top 5 Test nations have impact players even in their Test squad to play the time with the run-rate of at least 3.5 from the word GO.

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Rags

Sep 30, 2017 06:22pm

Test cricket at its worst - these teams do not seem to have any quality

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saeeds

Sep 30, 2017 07:20pm

Pakistan should drop test cricket in Middle East. Play only locally and spend more money on domestic structure.

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citizen

Sep 30, 2017 08:09pm

266 runs in 113 overs? What happened to our batting? Even the low indian team scored more than 300 runs per day in recent lankan test matches... hard to digest Babar scoring only 28 in 82 balls?

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Lyra

Sep 30, 2017 08:58pm

This SL team is very mediocre. Yet, pakistan is struggling. Shows the low level of pakistan.

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ConcernedCitizen

Sep 30, 2017 09:44pm

We are still playing the cricket of 1990, look at our score run rate and Sri Lanka run rate. We are scoring like we did under Misbah, Test Cricket has changed and if we continue to score like that we are not going to win against tough teams like Indian, Australia, England, and others. We need to get our mindset correct and Mickey needs to kick some of these bums to either perform instead of playing Tuk Tuk cricket to cement their place in Test team.

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Oct 01, 2017 12:42am

Its a draw, unless Pakistan quickly score 420 tomm and SL get out for 100, which they certainly are capable of. On the other hand, first session tomm will be critical because if Pakistan unravel, they could end up giving a lead of 60-70 to SL.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 01, 2017 01:45am

Tournament is going to competitive one as this is the fight between equal strength oppositions, albeit on lower end of spectrum. Sri Lanka vs India was so boring w/ Lanka going down 0-9. We not playing against India is blessing in disguise to avoid embarrassment.

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Abhishek

Oct 01, 2017 11:38am

@citizen Yousaid that Pakistan is lower than the low Indians?Is it not?

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