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1st Test, Day 5: Rangana Herath triggers Pakistan collapse in small chase as SL seal 21-run win

Abdullah719

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Pakistan were (not for the first time), undone by a Herath master-class in the fourth-innings of a Test match as the unfancied Sri Lankan side sealed a stunning 21-run win. Pakistan were set 136 to win and began tentatively, scoring at a sedate pace. The weaknesses of this strategy soon became apparent as Sami edged on to slip followed by Azhar getting a peach of a delivery from Lakmal as he was caught behind. The defensive strategy from the batsmen continued and Masood was next to fall as he was dismissed by Perera. Babar followed suit a few overs later and Shafiq's fight was brought to an end as well as he edged behind off Herath. Haris and Sarfaraz looked to form a partnership and took Pakistan through to Tea but the captain fell to an atrocious shot right after the break. Haris, the top-scorer with 34 was eventually undone by a sharply turning delivery from Perera; after that, it was a procession as Herath wrapped up the tail, getting to 400 Test wickets including 100 against Pakistan.

Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat as Pakistan went with a three-pacer strategy. Despite some early breakthroughs from Yasir, the visitors built up the innings nicely through Karunaratne who made 93. Later on, it was an attacking innings of 83 from Dickwella that did the damage but the outstanding knock of the match was played by the Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal who batted throughout the first-innings after coming to the crease, finishing unbeaten on 155. The total was 419 with three wickets apiece for Yasir and Abbas and two for Hasan.

Pakistan replied strongly but at a very slow pace with the openers putting on a hundred partnership with both hitting fifties. Azhar at #3 went on to make 85 while Shafiq and Babar got starts but couldn't carry on. At one point, Pakistan looked to be in danger of conceding a big lead in the midst of the innings but Haris batted superbly with the tail, scoring a maiden fifty and finishing with 76* as the hosts achieved first-innings parity. Herath took five wickets in the first-innings as well.

Sri Lanka's second innings saw Pakistan make regular breakthroughs with the part-timers Haris and Shafiq getting into the act as well, dismissing Silva and Thirimanne. Yasir also picked up crucial wickets while Abbas' probing bowling saw him dismiss Mendis and nightwatchman Lakmal. The only resistance came from Dickwella who stayed unbeaten with 40 as Yasir picked up five wickets, cleaning up the tail with the final innings total standing at 138. Pakistan would have been well pleased at this point, chasing a seemingly low target of 136 but it was not to be - the day belonged to Rangana Herath.

Pakistan XI: Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk), Mohammad Amir, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali

Sri Lanka XI: Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep
 
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Better team won. We have only 2 bowlers and 2 batsmen. Rest are passengers. I think we did better than our abilities
 
Congrats to the Lankan fans,hardly any remaining on the forum compared to before,after a tough few months,some relief.

Pak will not take Lanka lightly now,wonder if Mathews return will help them.
 
The chief culprits of loss are Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq.
 
Better team won.

Should've played 2 spinners from start :facepalm: this is UAE not New Zealand where you pick so many seamers :facepalm:

Anyways, a good lesson for Sarfaraz and Micky.
 
Gift to Lanka for coming to Pakistan later this month. On a serious note one of the worst Test defeats I have witnessed and going in with only one spinner here was criminal.
 
The chief culprits of loss are Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq.

We lost primarily because we let Sri Lanka score too many runs in the first innings and then too many batsmen failed to convert good starts into hundreds which would have given us a comfortable first innings lead.

Well played Sri Lanka, congratulations to Herath especially. Wonderful bowler.

Now to give him some phainty in the next test :angelo
 
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Everyone can complain about only going in with one spinner, but the bottom line is the batsmen made a mess of a low chase.
 
Pakistan did well to loose this one.

- This should be normal post Misbah and specially Younis how many times he pulled these wins for Pakistan really.
- If Shan Masood is the best test opener in the country than we should be losing these matches logically.
- Amir it not fit to play test and absolutely not useful in UAE ... I dont see him taking any wickets in next 2 tests.
- Sarfraz could have saved this match if not for Akmalish moment.

Anyways who needs 3 pacers on this wicket and in UAE is beyond me.
 
Everyone can complain about only going in with one spinner, but the bottom line is the batsmen made a mess of a low chase.

Completely agree this was gettable and Pak bowlers actually did well.
PAkistani batsmen took the game away from Pakistan.
 
We deserve this.I hope Shan is dropped,we can't pick him just because of his fitness.Shafiq is enjoying his place in the team doing nothing.Amir seriously doesn't look like he will get a wicket.Only positives were Haris Sohail and Abbas.Need to play Asghar in place of Amir in the next game and bring in Usman in place of Shan.Terrible loss but I think we have seen defeats like these in the past too....
 
Completely agree this was gettable and Pak bowlers actually did well.
PAkistani batsmen took the game away from Pakistan.

Exactly. Bowlers did well to limit Sri Lanka to 138. Fault lies with the batting.

The defensive fields to Dickwella were also a negative move.
 
Exactly. Bowlers did well to limit Sri Lanka to 138. Fault lies with the batting.

The defensive fields to Dickwella were also a negative move.

Quite wrong. The Lankan bowlers were too good take ten wickets with a 138 target on board. Pakistani bowlers didn't have even 1% of that pressure.

It's the vastly superior bowling (and I cannot believe I am saying this) Lankan which made a big difference in the end.
 
During SL's second innings I kept wondering if Karunaratne's not-out out would be the difference in the game.

Fortunately for him it was not. He would have never lived it down if Pakistan had won the game narrowly.
 
Pakistan's complete lack of intent in the first innings was also the reason behind this defeat. They played way too slowky and never put pressure on the lankans.

The opening pair is also a probkem and this is the reason why Inzi is looking at Salman Butt as an option, because others aren't good enough.

Questions have to be asked of Asad Shafiq, as a senior batsman he has to deliver more often now.

Very sad to see Pakistan lose this.
 
Lol mwe were laughing and saying India's whitewash of SL was because SL was bad. Did not give India credit.

Serves us right. Pathetic performance. Herath was brilliant and it further puts into focus how much we undersell how good India are. They made SL look like minnows.
 
We lost primarily because we let Sri Lanka score too many runs in the first innings and then too many batsmen failed to convert good starts into hundreds which would have given us a comfortable first innings lead.

Well played Sri Lanka, congratulations to Herath especially. Wonderful bowler.

Now to give him some phainty in the next test :angelo

Both Asad and Sarfraz should have scored more runs in the 1st inning for Pakistan to get at least 50 runs lead in 1st inning. They are the senior most batsmen after Azhar but failed in their job unlike Azhar. If Pakistan had 50 runs lead in 1st inning, it would have easily win this match.
 
[MENTION=90888]Itachi[/MENTION]

Don't think so, one can see how a player making debut Haris Sohail played Herath & Co. comfortably.
It was Pakistani batsmen that played in really sick manner taking unusual pressure. There is not a single 4 hit by top 4. The target was not that much.
 
Both Asad and Sarfraz should have scored more runs in the 1st inning for Pakistan to get at least 50 runs lead in 1st inning. They are the senior most batsmen after Azhar but failed in their job unlike Azhar. If Pakistan had 50 runs lead in 1st inning, it would have easily win this match.

It appears that the wicket had already started breaking on the 4th day. Not easy to bat and get a lead in those circumstances.
 
138 should have been chased. All that was needed was a small partnership of 40-50 runs and the rest chipping with 10 runs each.

Herath after a bad outing against India recently is back to form against his bunnies.
 
Pathetic defensive batting on day 3 after we had got off to a good start with bat on day 2. Also pathetic defensive batting on final day as well. rabbits caught in headlights!

It was pretty shameful! Apart from Haris sohail, rest of batting to hang its head in shame!
 
I still dont recover from the loss of India against WI in 1997. Chasing a meager total of 120 India got bowled out for 80. This is like one of those losses. They had to see off just one bowler.
 
Well time to smash them in the next test, no way we are losing our first Test Series in UAE to Sri Lanka.
 
I still dont recover from the loss of India against WI in 1997. Chasing a meager total of 120 India got bowled out for 80. This is like one of those losses. They had to see off just one bowler.

I saw that match. India were up against Walsh, Dillon & Rose. that heartbreak doesn't compare to this timid attempt by pakistan.
 
Lol at those 4-0 predictors.

BD played better than them. BD lose on foreign pitch where they almost don't have experience whereas Pak lose at home to that sl team whom bd beat at their own backyard just couple of months ago. :D
 
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Lol at those 4-0 predictors.

BD played better than them. BD lose on foreign pitch where they almost don't have experience whereas Pak lose at home to that sl team whom bd beat at their own backyard just couple of months ago. :D

First time I've seen someone gloating over a 333-run loss. :shakib

This is the real condition of Pak test after the departure of MisYou

Not really, these collapses were happening while they were playing too. But whatever suits the narrative I guess. :91:
 
First time I've seen someone gloating over a 333-run loss. :shakib



Not really, these collapses were happening while they were playing too. But whatever suits the narrative I guess. :91:
We all know that bd is not that good team but they played better than their reputation especially in SA where they almost have no experience,whereas Pak losing to a depleted test side at home is humiliating compared to their reputation as better test team.
 
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We all know that bd is not that good team but they played better than their reputation especially in SA where they almost have no experience,whereas Pak losing to a depleted test side at home is humiliating compared to their reputation as better test team.

Who said anything about BD in this thread?
 
We all know that bd is not that good team but they played better than their reputation especially in SA where they almost have no experience,whereas Pak losing to a depleted test side at home is humiliating compared to their reputation as better test team.

"Played better than their reputation"

LOL :))

What were you expecting? A 700 run loss?
:))
 
The sad reality is that Asad Shafiq needs to be dropped ASAP, after playing almost 60 test matches he still looks like a newbie that comes out to bat as if it's his first test match. Haris Sohail looked more in control than him, and it was his first match. Him coming out to bat just sends down a negative vibe through the dressing room, no point of scoring a 100 in a match losing or when the writing is on the wall type situation. Need pressure runs and Asad has shown time and time again that he is incapable of doing this.

Sami Aslam also needs a reality check playing the game in the manner he does won't get him far. Needs to learn to rotate the strike and maintain a SR of 50-60. Huge blunder by team management to drop Azhar Ali to the one down position. Shan Masood is definitely not the solution and needs to be dropped.

Babar Azam is clearly not ready for test match cricket, needs to be dropped and told to go back to FC and work on his game, bring in Usman Sallahudin or Fawad Alam.

Sarfaraz if he keeps getting out the way he has been for the past few years needs to be removed from the test team, needs to set the example and lead from the front.
 
We all know that bd is not that good team but they played better than their reputation especially in SA where they almost have no experience,whereas Pak losing to a depleted test side at home is humiliating compared to their reputation as better test team.
Losing a test by 333 runs against SA B squad minus ABDV, Steyn, Philander & Morkel on the last day?

Is that what you call less humiliating or playing better, than Pak :13:
 
Hello Friends, i've registered today on this page, and would like to thank Admin for allowing me to join,

SL won but we were poor, like always we have few passengers in the team, Thirimanne and Silva never going to score many, but SLC selectors keep picking them, hope they will drop them in next TEST
 
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First time I've seen someone gloating over a 333-run loss. :shakib



Not really, these collapses were happening while they were playing too. But whatever suits the narrative I guess. :91:
Aashiqui
I am happy that Pakistan lost this test. Not because I am an Indian fan but it was needed as an wake up call after the never ending CT euphoria. Now is the time set up a good team with deserving players. World cricket would be at a loss with a weak pak team. Btw kudos to the islanders.
 
Who genuinely didn't see this coming. Bad team selections guaranteed a humiliating loss. The team was so one dimensional in its formation, pretty much all defensive batsmen with no idea what to do when plan A of blocking didn't work.
 
Man that was bad. I was happy when SL were all out & we had to chase less than 150 to win. But I was wrong, terrible collaspe chasing. We had a ultra cautious top 3 who would never take a risk scoring quickly to calm the chase down. Maybe we do need F Zaman as an attacking opener?

Azhar Ali who I think is great but his second innings scores are a worry when he gets a decent first innings score.

Two out of the last three test matches we have lost chasing a low second innings score to teams we should be beating quite comfortably. Something needs to change.

Even if we win the next test match, drawing to this Sri Lankan team in a test series is nothing to shout about.
 
Thats why people like me were continously asking to include FAWAD ALAM atleast in test squad. He has vast experience of domestic cricket having an average of 57 runs..also having advantage of left hand bat..i once again request to all concerned like PCB..Team management..Selectors etc for God sake bring him back..if he was playing today with Haris Sohail both can handle left arm spinner at their will and Pakistan should have been won the match with 6 wickets...i can bet..
 
more final day dynamite from herath
Still the best spinner in world
 
Call me an old-time pessimist but a part of me is actually relieved that a disaster like this has happened so that everyone is brought back to earth immediately. Plus it's Pakistan Cricket boyes :inzi consistency is not our thing :ma - Needed something like this after all that CT parading and #CricketKiHalalala :)) :))

Anyways, let's now focus on the job at hand, i.e. the next D/N game.
 
Shame Pakistan could not win even with every 50-50 call went their way, in that regard SL win is very special
 
Pak have had a bad habit of collapsing on day 5, while playing reasonably well before that.

It's been happening for the last 1 year so it badly needs adresssing.

I have no problem losing because that's part of sport but collapsing constantly on the last day when the matches should have either been won or drawn is showing something badly wrong when the pressure is on.

I think they will bounce back hard next match but def the batting order and some weak batsman need replacing.
 
Congrats [MENTION=132270]SL_Fan[/MENTION] and other SL fans... :jordan

Cheers bro although a win here and there doesn't change anything really. Minnows gonna be minnows unless things improve in a hurry starting with the rubbish domestic setup. Herath tho a deadset legend. The last of the mohicans. Good luck for the next one champ Pakistan really shouldn't be losing to this lot.
 
Hello Friends, i've registered today on this page, and would like to thank Admin for allowing me to join,

SL won but we were poor, like always we have few passengers in the team, Thirimanne and Silva never going to score many, but SLC selectors keep picking them, hope they will drop them in next TEST

Welcome to the forum :)
 
I think this was Pakistan's match to loose and they took it into the last day which was an achievement in itself. As an Indian supporter there are multiple issues to be addressed in our batting and bowling but have to admit that the Indian team is probably the best team to have transitioned out of the phase of loosing top 5 batsman and bowlers but came out of it quickly as compared to teams like Pakistan and Australia.
 
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