GALLE – Young batter Abdullah Shafique’s career-best innings helped Pakistan bagged a four-wicket win in the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium on Wednesday.
Pakistan resumed its second innings at 222 on the fifth day of the game to achieve their second highest-run chase of 342 in Test cricket, with in-form Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan on the crease.
Sri Lanka managed to dismiss two key players in the second half of the morning session, with Prabath Jayasuriya first removing Mohammad Rizwan lbw, before having debutant Agha Salman caught out.
Shafique smashed 158 runs, helping Pakistan to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, while Mohammad Nawaz, who was pairing with him on the crease, made 19 runs.
Chasing the target for victory in the first Test on a spinners’ friendly Galle surface, Pakistan were 222 for three at the close of play on the fourth day and needed another 120 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.