Abid Ali and Shan Masood helped Pakistan wrest back control of the proceedings in the Karachi Test, with the home side finishing on 175 for no loss at lunch on Day 3, in front by 95 runs.
At the start of the day, with Pakistan still, 23 runs behind, the tourists would have hoped to make inroads. However, Vishwa Fernando couldn’t get his line right, drifting on the pads, which allowed Masood and Abid to collect a couple of boundaries. Pakistan soon took the lead with Abid cracking a slog-sweep off Lasith Embuldeniya.
Masood also joined in the act, lofting Dilruwan Perera into the stands at long-off, and followed Abid in getting to his fifty. Meanwhile, Lahiru Kumara, the Sri Lankan fast bowler, upped his pace in an attempt to make the initial incision. After an optimistic and unsuccessful review for an LBW against Abid, Kumara bowled a brute of a bumper at over 90mph and nearly forced Abid to edge one behind. However, Abid had the last laugh, as he crunched a couple of drives off the fast bowler in his next over.
At the fag end of the session, Abid then went into top gear, smacking Embuldeniya over cow corner for a six. The visitors have been guilty of not being able to bowl with control. There is still something in the wicket, but the tourists need a disciplined effort with the ball to mount a comeback.
Brief scores: Pakistan 191 and 175/0 (Abid Ali 93*, Shan Masood 78*) lead Sri Lanka 271 (Dinesh Chandimal 74; Shaheen Afridi 5-77) by 95 runs.
