The Albany Gazette - Shafique stands firm with Pakistan 11 runs from victory

Pakistan were 331 for six when tea was taken early with Abdullah Shafique on 154 and Mohammad Nawaz on 12 in Galle, where the highest successful fourth-innings chase was 268 by Sri Lanka against New Zealand in 2019.

The rain did not last long and Pakistan were expected to resume their chase in the final session, as they close on victory.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya has taken four wickets so far for the hosts and was on the brink of an unprecedented feat of four straight five-wicket hauls in his first two Tests.

He took 12 wickets on debut in a series-levelling Test win over Australia last week at the same venue, six in each innings.

Jayasuriya struck at the stroke of lunch to send back debutant Salman Ali Agha, caught behind for 12, and then the tourists lost Hasan Ali in the second over of the afternoon session.

But Shafique has played the anchor role to perfection so far and with the left-handed Nawaz inched his team closer to taking the lead in the two-match series.

Pakistan resumed the day on 222-3 and Sri Lanka soon used up their remaining two umpire reviews, with Jayasuriya involved in both calls.

Mohammad Rizwan opened his day's account with a boundary off Ramesh Mendis and kept up his positive intent by taking singles and twos before he fell lbw to Jayasuriya for 40.

A review did not save Rizwan, a wicketkeeper-batsman who has come into the two-match series after a successful stint with English county Sussex.

Shafique recorded his second Test century on day four to lead the chase.

(Y.Berger--BBZ)