Can Pakistan chase down 342 to win the 1st Test against Sri Lanka?

[MenInG]

Positive start so far but a long way to go - but dare we believe?

 

[Sunny_majoka]

I have feeling they will, openers are looking solid

 

[Technics 1210]

Yes.

 

[MenInG]

Please add your vote

 

[Babeikh]

Don't seem to be any demons in the pitch. Will be a mental battle more than anything else.

 

[Punjab Kings]

Impossible.....
We know Pakistani batting...one down and game is over...

 

[pratiktc]

Yes, Lankan spinners are not great. If 2 out of top 4 get well set, we are in for a great chase

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Improbable but not impossible.

 

[daytrader]

The question now becomes, can we chase 274? I think one more wicketless session out of the next 3 will see us home

 

[Ukiani]

Yes we can chase this.

 

[Marooned]

If we reach something like 200/3, we can dream.
I don't think so though, the wickets will fall in a pack.

 

[Titan24]

They can especially after the opening stand but, one thing that is to be avoided is wickets falling in clusters.

 

[pillionrider]

Just caught some of it before tea and the pitch looks fine. There is the usual turn but nothing unpredictable about it or the bounce.

Not sure if I've seen Shafique before, but he looks solid compact textbook type. Initially I mistook him for Babar from a distance though Babar's stance is more open.

Pakistan should get this, by just calmly chipping away like these two were doing. No need to try and be flamboyant. There's nothing there that requires that sort of batting. Just be calm and they should get there.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

We will get a thrilling finish.

Insha'Allah, Pakistan can chase this.

Let's see!

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Yeah I think they will chase it. SL should pray the wicket starts deteriorating a bit more . Otherwise, Pakistan are overwhelming favourites

 

[Rana]

They need to remain positive

The tail is long this time and they can get the last 50 or so with 4 wickets in hand if need be so

 

[QalandarFan]

They'll do it, these Sri Lankan spinners are a far cry from the days of Muralitharan and Herath.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Don't think in these spin friendly conditions against good spin attack , it's just a matter of how Babar can prolonged and get a good support from couple of batsmen, highly improbable though, couple of quick wickets and it's game over.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

If Babar and Shafiq can score 80 odd more in this partnership and then we might have a chance.

 

[silentkiller187]

This partnership needs to carry on, still a long way to go , a couple of quick wickets and our fragile batting line up will self implode, games still in the balance, but looking a lot more positive this 2nd innings.

 

[daytrader]

Half the job done. Less runs required than on the board with 8 wickets in hand

 

[James]

Yes, absolutely.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Superb effort from Pakistan as they close on 222/3. 120 more to win and they've given themselves a good chance of chasing down the record-breaking target <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLvPAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/IGZM7DS8sq">pic.twitter.com/IGZM7DS8sq</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1549359247544270849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Rana]

Very much doable

I think Salman Agha and Mohammad Nawaz will be very crucial. One will score a meaningful score out of the two

 

[KyoOne]

Sri Lanka missed a trick by not playing a legspinner. Finger spinners normally extract lesser turn from a pitch. An old and chubby yasir shah, who is not particularly famous for turning big was extracting appreciable turn.

3 offspinners is a bit too easy for most of our batters who are right handers.

 

[Amjid Javed]

We have a very long tail and one early wicket tomorrow will cause issues. Game is 50:50

2 batsmen in now need to scored bulk of runs.

 

[Titan24]

Sri Lanka missed a trick by not playing a legspinner. Finger spinners normally extract lesser turn from a pitch. An old and chubby yasir shah, who is not particularly famous for turning big was extracting appreciable turn.

3 offspinners is a bit too easy for most of our batters who are right handers.

This pitch historically favors finger spinners so that would have played a role.

 

[UsmanhailsAfridi]

If we don’t it would be bc of team selection


Who picked this Salman kid no confidence

 

[Titan24]

We have a very long tail and one early wicket tomorrow will cause issues. Game is 50:50

2 batsmen in now need to scored bulk of runs.

Yes. Other than Hasan who can hit a quick 10-20, you cant expect any of the other tail enders to score much runs. Yes they can survive but for a bit but, at the end 120 runs are to be made.

 

[Villager6964]

This is still a huge score to get.

Ball is turning a lot. It depends a lot on Abdullah shafique who has been brilliant so far.He has to score 60-70 more if Pakistan wants to win.

One wicket falls and they are into tail and they will fold like pack of cards.
Exciting day of cricket awaits!!

 

[Titan24]

If we don’t it would be bc of team selection


Who picked this Salman kid no confidence

Debut match so naturally nerves coming in. Its unrealistic to expect players coming in an straight away performing however, one can debate that if his off spin was not to be used much against lefties then someone like Kamran Ghulam who broke the QAE record could have been preferred in the squad or Saud Shakeel in the XI. Agha otherwise have had a pretty dynamic 2020-21 season across the formats and can score runs quickly as his SR of close to 60 in FC cricket shows.

Issue is both Nawaz and Agha are inexperienced. Faheem could have been added instead of one seamers to have seam bowling option as well as a batsman lower down the order who has some experience. Harsh on Agha to be judged so closely on his first match alone.

 

[Xoib]

To be honest they deserved to get pasted worse then this for the moronic team selection


We are already not a great side but the tactical and strategic dumbness they display so regularly means we are playing a bigger catch up with the opposition

 

[PakFan2010]

Pakistan have 4 batsmen in the team and 7 tail enders.

 

[Babeikh]

If Babar had still been there, I'd have us as firm favourites but as others have pointed out, I do worry about our middle and lower order.

Hopefully these two can get through the first half an hour tomorrow morning because I suspect then Sri Lankan shoulders will drop. Rizwan is really key from here as he can keep the scoreboard ticking. I'd say it is marginally in our favour - maybe high fifties to low forties - I will go on 57-43 in favour of Pak.

 

[Bewal Express]

No because the tail is long and rubbish. I would give us a 30% chance.It's either Riz or nothing.

 

[Bewal Express]

Pakistan have 4 batsmen in the team and 7 tail enders.

Terrible selection by Babar or Saqlain or both. In my time watching cricket, its one of the worst selection errors.

 

[Rana]

Guys have faith in Agha and Nawaz

They have been picked and there is a game to win tomorrow. We just need to be hopeful that one if not both will deliver Pakistan to a famous win

 

[Minnowbasher]

Runs don't count against Sri Lanka...

 

[Zain]

No Rangana Herath, so I think we stand a chance and are in the driving seat at the moment.

 

[Champ_Pal]

I have said this before, Pakistan can easily chase this. A couple of centurians and others chipping with 20's and 30's is all is needed. Pakistan will win this with 5 wickets in hand.

Australia simply could not play the turning ball.

 

[Marooned]

I have said this before, Pakistan can easily chase this. A couple of centurians and others chipping with 20's and 30's is all is needed. Pakistan will win this with 5 wickets in hand.

Australia simply could not play the turning ball.

Ah yes, couple of centuries sounds easy.

There can't be another century in this game btw.

 

[Amjid Javed]

I have said this before, Pakistan can easily chase this. A couple of centurians and others chipping with 20's and 30's is all is needed. Pakistan will win this with 5 wickets in hand.

Australia simply could not play the turning ball.

pakistan also have a habit of folding like dominoes as well. cant afford to lose early wickets or be defensive tomorrow.

 

[JaDed]

Said it yesterday in the other thread, 350 PCT will do it, 220 they will messup. This will be done , when one least expects them to do it they will do it.

 

[Marooned]

pakistan also have a habit of folding like dominoes as well. cant afford to lose early wickets or be defensive tomorrow.

Will be rain affected too. Not sure how much time we will get. That further complicates things.

 

[James]

Looks a considerably tighter prospect without Babar at the crease, but still very doable.

 

[topspin]

Needless to say this partnership is crucial. We have a debutant in next and then a left arm spinner who shouldn't be batting anywhere higher than 9 in the order, let alone 7!

On a good day, you might get 20-25 from Hasan Ali. If it's an exceptional one he can score 25+.

If we lose an early wicket tomorrow, I think Pakistan will collapse and fall short of target.

I'm not happy with the approach our batsmen have taken today. Batting at around 2.5 runs per over isn't a recipe for success, especially in these conditions, where one would expect batting to become progressively more and more difficult as the pitch deteriorates.

Will be interesting to see how the pitch behaves tomorrow.

 

[Misia]

As long as one of either, Abdullah or Rizwan are there till end , I recon Abdullah will get 150+no at the end

 

[Romali_rotti]

I totally change my mind and feel Pakistan will win it.... Abdullah got lucky though he was out LBW but wasnt given, now he will take Pakistan home..

 

[pillionrider]

I totally change my mind and feel Pakistan will win it.... Abdullah got lucky though he was out LBW but wasnt given, now he will take Pakistan home..

Was also dropped by the keeper before tea

 

[Romali_rotti]

Was also dropped by the keeper before tea

So twice lucky.

3rd time charm means, he will take Pakistan home..

 

[daytrader]

Only a 100 required now

 

[Mean&Green]

This is extremely weird from Abdullah at this point he should have gotten the game down only 20 runs required these two need to score 20 runs the tail can even score the last 30 finish this already

 

[daytrader]

less than 20 required now

 

[MenInG]

11 to go ... almost there

 

[Manunited18]

This will be one of the best chases in a long time. The wicket is spinning square!
Also full credit for young Abdullah Shafiq for playing such a fantastic mature innings.

 

[MenInG]

Yes we can!

 

[Bewal Express]

An amazing effort to win a test in difficult conditions. A special well done to AS, and also great effort by Babar. But we can't forget a shocking selection that would shame any person of any cricketing knowledge. Whoever selected this team got away with one.

 

[The Googly]

I think Pak will chase this down easily