Sri Lanka in charge

04 July 2015 01:46

Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah recorded his third five-wicket haul of the series but Sri Lanka still held the upper hand after day two of the deciding third Test in Pallekele.

Yasir took the final Sri Lanka wicket to fall in the morning session to finish with innings figures of five for 78 and help bowl the hosts out for 278.

However, Pakistan's batsmen struggled in response on a rain-interrupted day and were 209 for nine at stumps, with only wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (72 not out) and the in-form Azhar Ali (52) managing to hang around for long.

Sri Lanka seamers Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep both took three wickets apiece while off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal weighed in with two more as Pakistan reached the close still trailing by 69 runs.

It was a disappointing end to a day that had started so well for Pakistan, having taken the final two Sri Lanka wickets for the addition of only six runs inside four overs.

Kaushal was the first to go, dismissed lbw by Rahat Ali after failing to win a review, and then in the very next over Yasir had last man Pradeep leg before without scoring.

That meant the 29-year-old Yasir has now claimed five wickets in an innings in each of the three Tests in the series - taking his tally to 22 in all - and boasts 59 scalps in just 10 matches since making his debut against Australia last October.

Buoyed by those early successes, Pakistan started relatively well in their reply with Shan Masood and Ahmed Shehzad putting on 32 for the first wicket.

However, both players were out in quick succession, along with the experienced Younis Khan run out for three in the final over before lunch, as Pakistan slumped to 45 for three.

Wickets fell at regular intervals after that as only Azhar, who struck eight fours in his recording his 20th Test half-century, and Sarfraz offering any resistance.

Sarfraz finished the day 28 runs short of a fourth Test century but with only Imran Khan - batting for only the second time in his fifth Test appearance - to keep him company on the resumption, he faces a battle to reach three figures.

The three-match series is locked at 1-1.

Source: PA