Solid reply by Pakistan after Chandimal ton

Abu Dhabi, September 29 

Captain Dinesh Chandimal made an unbeaten 155 as Sri Lanka put the pressure on Pakistan on the second day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Openers Sami Aslam (31*) and Shan Masood (30*) negotiated 23 overs to take Pakistan to 64/0, still trailing Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 419 by 355 runs. They need another 156 to avoid the follow-on, a task which should be simple on a flat Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch. Both Masood and Aslam, opening for the first time together, looked assured as Sri Lanka attacked through all their three spinners and two seamers in short spells. 

But it was a memorable day for Sri Lankan skipper Chandimal, whose marathon knock of over nine hours in hot conditions propelled his team to a strong total. He came in to bat with his team in trouble at 61/3 on Thursday, but led the fightback in a fourth-wicket stand of 100 with Dimuth Karunaratne (93). 

On Friday, after Sri Lanka resumed at 227/4, Chandimal added 134 for the fifth wicket with Niroshan Dickwella (83) and another 92 for the sixth with Dilruwan Perera, who made 33. 

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka: 419 all out (Chandimal 155*, Karunaratne 93, Dickwella 83, Abbas 3/75, Yasir 3/120); Pakistan: 64/0 (Sami 31*, Shan 30*). —  AP