PROBLEMS seem to be escalating for Sarfraz Ahmed and his men as the Sri Lankan batsmen like they did in the first Test continue to dominate a disjointed Pakistan attack in the final Test here.

The bowling line-up picked for this match seems to have been blunted once again by a disciplined batting display by the Sri Lankan batsmen spearheaded by Dimuth Karunaratne who rallied their innings by reaching his career-best 196.

Various factors no doubt have kept Sri Lanka well in control and Pakistan at bay as the game slowly but gradually tilted towards the visiting team.

The dead and an unhelpful pitch is one, the discipline with which the Sri Lankans have reduced this innocuous and an impressive bowling to look more than ordinary and also injury to Mohammad Amir who on the first afternoon had to leave midway through his over complaining of problem in his right shin.

And once again Amir had to be taken off the attack without completing one of his overs to be sent for the MRI scan to find if the injury is just a routine one or something serious.

The left-arm quick looked in trouble each time he made that extra effort in bowling which may cost him dearly if the result of the scan reveals something serious.

I fail to understand why — when already known he was having problems bowling on the first day — Amir was allowed to bowl on the second day without confirming the seriousness of the injury, if any. That certainly does not speak much of the person responsible for looking after injuries or the coach himself who let Amir take the field.

What worried me more is the fact that Yasir Shah, Pakistan’s key bowler, was being ground into dust through bowling exceedingly long spells during this series.

The leg-spinner bowled over 80 in the first Test and toiled here in Dubai for around 50 more in his bag to break partnerships by Sri Lankans.

Among those stands two were too frustrating for the bowler and Sarfraz — 146 runs between Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal (62) for the fourth wicket, and 88 runs between Karunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella (52) for the fifth wicket.

Left-handed Karunaratne, who was finally cleaned up by Wahab Riaz to a tired shot, has been consistent and productive for Sri Lanka who are in with a strategy significantly more successful than Pakistan’s.

Bilal Asif (off-spin) or Mohammad Asghar (left-arm orthodox) as specialist spinners could produce better results for Pakistan than their part-time spinners — Asad Shafiq and Haris Sohail — who remained in action throughout Saturday without any success.

Keeping Bilal and Asghar away from action to me is meaningless and their presence a sheer waste of time or may be the selectors’ blunders that may in the end make them realise the mistakes they have committed.

Talat Ali, the Pakistan manager on the tour, does not have much to contribute in team selection and he confirmed this to media yesterday morning.

“[Captain] Sarfraz at times does talk to me,” Talat confirmed. “The final decision to pick the playing XI is made by him [captain] and the coach.

“I do not really care who picks the team but I do and so would others who follow this game that a good mix of cricketers are played to suit the situation,” he added.

Pakistan unfortunately have not done it, the reason why they have been on the back foot so far in this Test match.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2017