Pakistan cricketer Abdullah Shafique’s incredible fielding was on display on day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle. He pulled off an incredible catch at short-leg to dismiss Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Sadeera Samarawickrama. The dismissal further pushed Sri Lanka on the back foot in the match.
The incident took place in the fifty-sixth over of the second innings for Sri Lanka, when Agha Salman was bowling. Samarawickrama stepped down the pitch but couldn’t reach the pitch of the ball. He tried to flick the delivery but got a thick inside edge. Abdullah Shafique, who was at short leg, movies to his left following the batter.
However, Shafique was left wrong-footed as the ball went to his right. The Pakistan cricketer managed to reach out with a full stretch and plucked out a brilliant one-handed catch. Samarawickrama had to walk back to the hut for a run-a-ball eleven runs knock. Sri Lanka was reduced to 175 runs on the board at the loss of six wickets.
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Pakistan eye win on the final day of the first Test
Pakistan needs 83 runs on the final of the first Test against Sri Lanka to go one up in the two-match Test series. They have lost three wickets, with Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood and Noman Ali back in the hut. Skipper Babar Azam is at the crease with Imam-ul-Haq. Prabhat Jayasuriya has picked up two wickets in the innings for Sri Lanka.
Earlier in the match, Dhanajaya de Silva slammed a century in the first innings to take Sri Lanka to 312 runs. Pakistan took a comfortable lead on the back of Saud Shakeel’s double-century. Meanwhile, R Mendis took a five-wicket haul for Sri Lanka. In response, Sri Lanka managed 279 runs, with Dhanajaya de Silva as the top scorer with 82 runs.
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