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SL vs PAK | Mathews, Dhananjaya Lead SL’s Day 1 Recovery After Shaheen Afridi Won Morning Session

image-lk5e5x8fMathews, Dhananjaya on Day 1 in Galle (Twitter)

The first of the two Sri Lanka’s home Tests against Pakistan went underway today (July 16) at the Galle International Stadium. After the opening day of action, hosts find themselves in the driver’s seat despite having lost the entirety of their top order before lunch.

Pakistan’s premier pacer Shaheen Afridi stole the spotlight in the morning session by sending each of Sri Lanka’s top three batters packing back to the pavilion cheaply. Interestingly, he is making a comeback into team’s Test setup, having previously turned up the same venue exactly a year ago before a freak ligament injury hampered his career for the ensuing months.

Mathews, Dhananjaya partnership counters Afridi

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and had opted to bat first. The skipper, alongside his opening partner Nishan Madushka, were dismissed in identical manners by Pakistan’s comeback man Shaheen Afridi within the first hour of the day.

Number three batter Kusal Mendis also fell victim to Afridi’s early swing, before Dinesh Chandimal gave young pace maverick Naseem Shah his first wicket of the match.

At 54-4 in 15.2 overs, senior all-rounders Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva formed a defiant 131-run stand in the middle to steady Sri Lanka’s sinking ship amidst rain interruptions.

Mathews notched up his 39th Test fifty as he scored a fluent 64 from his end of the crease during his monumental partnership. His dismissal to leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed paved way for wicketkeeper Sadeera Samarawickrama, who piled up a valiant 36 before his wicket called for early stumps.

image-lk5g49s7Rain interruptions restricted Day 1 to just 65.4 overs (Twitter)

With constant rains restricted the day to just 65.4 overs, a well-set de Silva (94*) will resume Sri Lanka’s first innings at 242-6 on Day 2.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka: 242-6 (65.4)
Dhananjaya de Silva 94* (157), Angelo Mathews 64 (109)
Shaheen Afridi 3-63 (15), Abrar Ahmed 1-59 (21)

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first