RAWALPINDI (The Thursday Times) — Dhananjaya de Silva and captain Kusal Mendis struck unbeaten centuries to take Sri Lanka to 404-4, just 30 runs behind Pakistan’s 434-9 declared, when bad light ended the third day of the first Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
De Silva was 167 not out and Mendis 117 not out after an unbroken partnership of more than 200. It was De Silva’s 14th Test century and Mendis’s 11th, scored in his first match as Test captain.
Sri Lanka resumed on 114-3 and lost Kamindu Mendis for 58 to Mohammad Abbas at 155-4, after he and De Silva had added 90. From there, De Silva and Kusal Mendis batted through the rest of the day.
On the second day Abbas removed opener Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a duck, and debutant Saqib Khan took his maiden international wicket, Dinesh Chandimal, before also dismissing Lahiru Udara for 42.
Pakistan’s first innings
Pakistan’s total was built on Saud Shakeel’s 93, with half-centuries from Tayyab Arif (57), Arafat Minhas (52), Mohammad Taha (51), and captain Babar Azam (50). Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando took three wickets each for Sri Lanka.
The two-match series continues in Rawalpindi, where the second Test was moved from Lahore because of smog.
