Cricket
Younis, Asad soldier on
2012-06-25 08:52
Galle - Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq defied
Sri Lanka during an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 70 as Pakistan fought
for survival in the first Test in Galle on Monday.
The tourists,
set a near impossible victory target of 510, carried their second
innings from the overnight score of 36-3 to 108-4 by lunch on the fourth
day.
Younis, the most experienced batsman in the Pakistan side
with 77 Test appearances, was unbeaten on 34 at the break with two
boundaries.
Shafiq, playing his 14th Test, matched his senior partner with a fluent 36 not out that contained five hits to the fence.
Their partnership is Pakistan's best in the match in which the tourists were shot out for a paltry 100 in the first innings.
But
Sri Lanka remain strong favourites to wrap up the game and take the
lead in the three-Test series despite forecasts for rain interruptions
till Tuesday evening.
Pakistan lost nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal in the day's third over, run out by a direct throw from the covers by Suraj Randiv.
Younis
earned a repreive on nine when Tillakaratne Dilshan picked up a low
catch at mid-off, but television replays proved inconclusive whether the
catch had been taken cleanly.
Rangana Herath, the unlucky bowler
on that occasion, went to lunch with figures of 1-20 in 15 overs.
Off-spinner Randiv had 0-25 and seamer Nuwan Kulasekara took 2-24.