Flashback 2019: When Pakistan registered a massive Test victory at home after a decade
Pakistan were hosting Sri Lanka for a two-Test series in 2019. After playing a draw in the first Test at Rawalpindi, the two teams met for the last game of the series at Karachi. A flat surface had been expected, however, the first day registered 13 wickets. Eight of them fell in the last session, as Pakistan skittled to 191 all out from 167 for 5 before Sri Lanka were reduced to 64 for 3. Barring Babat Azam (60), Asad Shafiq (63), and Abid Ali (38), no other batsman could reach double digits as Lahiru Kumara and Lasith Embuldeniya bagged 4 wickets apiece.
Resuming the proceedings the next day, Sri Lanka lost night watchman Embuldeniya and Angelo Mathews early. Reduced to 80 for 5, Dinesh Chandimal tied the innings through his 74, whereas crucial contributions from Dhananjaya de Silva (32) and Dilruwan Perera (48) extended Sri Lanka’s innings well into the third session with a lead of 80. After dismissing the visitors for 271, Pakistan’s openers Abid Ali and Shan Masood stood unbeaten on 32 and 21 respectively, ending the day at 57 for 0.
Centuries galore
Making the Lankans toil hard the next day, the duo went on to add 278 runs for the opening stand as both Masood (137), and Ali (174) notched up their centuries. Pakistan finished the day strongly at a daunting score of 395 for 2, by when Azhar Ali (57) and Babar Azam (22), were looking set for big knocks too. The next day, the duo did not prove the expectations wrong and added 148 for the third wicket and registered their centuries, thereby making it the only second time in Test cricket history that all top four batsmen scored a century.
On the back of Azhar Ali’s 118 and Babar Azam’s 100, Pakistan finished their innings at 555/3, and the call of the declaration was made at Lunch on Day 4. Needing a massive 476 runs to win, Sri Lanka lost wickets in heaps as they finished the day at 212/7, with a massive loss awaiting them.
Sri Lanka fell like a pack of cards
Resuming on an overnight score, Sri Lanka did not add to their total, and it was all over sooner than anyone expected. Sri Lankan opener Oshada Fernando (102) was the ninth man to be dismissed, and Niroshan Dickwella (65) showed some resistance, although all the others had thrown the towel in front of Pakistan’s bowling attack. 16-year old Naseem Shah impressed massively with figures of 5-31 and became the youngest ever to claim a five-for in Test cricket.
Once the middle-order resistance was broken, Pakistan bowlers claimed the last five wickets for just 16 runs, on their way to a massive 263-run victory.
