Statistics
Best performances - Batsmen
- Productive Shot
- off side drive on front foot
- 55 runs
- 3x4 - 1x6
Commentator: Abhishek Purohit
That is it from us for this game at the moment. Have a look at Sid Ravindran's match report. Abhishek Purohit signing off. The next Test begins on June 30 at the SSC in Colombo. Join us then
Mahela Jayawardene: "Kulasekara was outstanding with the new ball. It is always good to see Dilshan getting runs for us, as he gets them so quickly. Quite a few reasons to not enforce the follow-on. We had played only two and a half days on that wicket. Our bowlers had already bowled 60-odd overs. I wanted to give them a rest and wanted to bat Pakistan out of the match. It was all about Test cricket, and not about extra holidays. The weather was a bit of a concern. We have to see that the workload is being monitored as well."
Mohammad Hafeez: "Thumbs up to my team for showing the highest standard of spirit in the field. It is a learning experience for them. We [batsmen] have to work hard in the nets for the next couple of days. Misbah coming back will give us a boost. It was good to see Younis and Asad fighting till the end." No mention of the umpiring from Hafeez
Kumar Sangakkara is the Man of the Match for his unbeaten 199. Sangakkara: "It was a case of adapting quickly, the ODI series with ttwo new balls, it allows batsmen to build innings even in ODIs, and you can carry that rhythm in Tests. Dilshan got the momentum for us. The conditions were easier than it is usually at Galle, breeze blowing throughout. Pakistan bowled well. I had one delivery to get to the 200, and I let the opportunity go, you control your own destiny."
Time for the presentation. Looks like it will drag on for a bit, numerous awards being given, most sixes, fastest innings, and so on
Lots of feedback against the numerous umpiring errors in the game. It is a tough job, and the umpires will get it wrong on days and in games like these as long as we don't put in place simple things like giving the third umpire more powers, and having a very basic DRS in place to minimise howlers. The fight against and for complicated technology can go on in parallel
That doesn't absolve Pakistan of the lack of fight they showed in the first innings, and the way the top order again failed in the second. Having said that, to last 114 overs in the fourth innings is an achievement in itself
Sri Lanka's big three batsmen came good in the first innings, and Pakistan crumbled against the weight of runs, and quality bowling led by Kulasekara and Herath
Junaid Khan c sub (BMAJ Mendis) b Randiv 8 (9m 10b 2x4 0x6) SR: 80.00
Mahela Jayawardene is a good batsman and comes across as a thoughtful, astute cricketer in most of his public pronouncements
Mahela Jayawardene on why Sri Lanka decided to settle for a draw in Pallekele, and the factors that helped his side beat Pakistan
Not surprisingly, a question I was often asked, especially in the smaller towns like Hambantota, Galle and Kandy, was "are you from Pakistan?"
How the players fared during the Tests between Sri Lanka and Pakistan
Five key factors and observations from the Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan