RAWALPINDI: Sri Lanka ‘A’ were 180 runs ahead in their second innings after they had managed 157-4 in 45.2 overs by close of play on day three of the second four-dayer against Pakistan Shaheens at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

After Sri Lanka earned a 23-run first innings lead, they slipped to 46-4 in 15 overs as Ahmed Bashir snapped two wickets while Hussain Talat and Kashif Ali picked up one wicket each.

Pavan Rathnayake (64 not out off 109, six fours) and Sonal Dinusha (51 off 87, four fours) stitched an unbeaten 111-run partnership for the fifth wicket off 183 balls to help the visitors recover from the initial setbacks.

Earlier, Shaheens resumed their first innings from the overnight score of 212-5, trailing by 98 runs, before being bowled out for 287 in 98 overs. After Hussain Talat (25 off 61) and Mohammad Ghazi Ghori fell early, Ahmed Safi Abdullah and Kashif Ali put on a crucial 53-run eighth-wicket stand to erase much of the deficit.

Ahmed Safi hit five fours in his 61-ball 39 before falling to Wanuja Sahan in the 96th over. Sahan picked up his 12th first-class five-wicket haul returning figures of 5-74 in 27 overs.

Scores in brief:

SRI LANKA ‘A’ 310 in 79 overs (Sonal Dinusha 85 not out, Wanuja Sahan 63, Isitha Wijesundara 51; Khurram Shahzad 6-30, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 2-100) and 157-4 in 45.2 overs (Pavan Rathnayake 64 not out, Sonal Dinusha 51 not out; Ahmed Bashir 2-44); PAKISTAN SHAHEENS 287 in 98 overs (Abdul Faseeh 59, Mohammad Suleman 40; Wanuja Sahan 5-74).

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2024