The 2022 Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka is underway where the 1st Test began in Galle on 16th July. Sri Lanka put up 222 after batting first and then, their spinners tortured the touring team. Pakistan found themselves in a rut as they were 112/8 but luckily for them, the tail decided to support their leading batsman Babar Azam, as he motored on and reduced the deficit.
Azam slowly made his way past fifty and as he lost Hasan Ali when the score was 148/9, he found some really good support in their number #11 batter, Naseem Shah. Babar kept blocking out the over and scoring a single on the fourth or fifth delivery, and Shah ensured he blocked out the one or two deliveries he needed to in order to keep the partnership going.
Naseem Shah takes 39 balls to score a run
At one point, the two had put on 40 runs for the final wicket and Shah hadn’t contributed a single run to that partnership. His job was to block and he did that brilliantly. However after a partnership of more than 20 overs, Shah finally got a run and the crowds at the venue enjoyed it as much as the batter did himself.
It was the 84th over of the innings when Naseem Shah had to take strike because Azam wasn’t able to get a single off the final ball of the previous over. It was Kasun Rajitha who was bowling and on the second ball of the over, he found the outside edge of Shah’s bat which went past second slip and ran away to the boundary.
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This happened after Shah blocked out 38 balls and when he finally got his first run on his 39th delivery, he raised his bat to acknowledge the applause from around the ground. The two had an unbeaten partnership of 46* runs as the team went into Tea on Day 2 at 194/9, still trailing by 28 runs and Azam 5 runs short of yet another Test century.
It was an extended session of 30 minutes as 9 wickers were down and play was extended to get that final wicket. However, it did not come and the outstanding Babar Azam kept adding more runs to their total as Shah kept supporting him. Another masterclass from Azam has kept Pakistan’s chance in this test alive, as it looked at one stage that they may end up trailing by 80+ runs in the 1st innings.
Prabath Jayasuria’s reactions every time Naseem Shah survives a last bal of an over is just so pure and honest. I love it😇😇😇.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) July 17, 2022
NASEEM SHAH IS OFF THE MARK!
He raises his bat to the gallery, the world applauds. What a man. #SLvPAK
— Change of Pace (@ChangeofPace414) July 17, 2022
Given these slow and turning pitches, a 80-run lead in the 1st innings would be a massive one indeed. However, the pair has cut it down and they’ll be looking to further reduce it when they head out to play the final session of the day as well. For similar cricket and other sports news from around the world, and for updates from the Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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