Pakistan and Sri Lanka are combating it out within the first Test of the two-match sequence in Galle. After opting to bat, Sri Lanka managed to put up 312 runs within the first innings thanks to a shocking century from Dhananjaya de Silva. Angelo Mathews additionally scored an excellent half-century scoring 64 runs and stitching a 131-run partnership with De Silva for fifth wicket. Sri Lanka, at one stage, had discovered themselves in bother at 54/4 courtesy of a cultured opening spell from comeback man Shaheen Afridi.
The left-arm tempo bowler is enjoying a Test match after a very long time and he troubled Sri Lanka batters upfront along with his tempo and swing. Shaheen despatched again prime three batters – Nishan Madushka, skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis – cheaply to depart the hosts reeling. In the method, he additionally went past Jasprit Bumrah within the listing of most wickets picked within the historical past of World Test Championship (WTC).
The third version of WTC simply started final month with the Ashes, and Pakistan are enjoying their first Test of this cycle. Overall, Shaheen is enjoying his twenty first Test match in WTC historical past and has now picked 80 wickets at an excellent common of 25.08. On the opposite hand, Bumrah has accounted for 79 scalps in 20 Tests however final performed a red-ball recreation for India precisely a 12 months in the past (July 2022).
Moreover, Shaheen Afridi additionally has an opportunity to go past two more India’s bowlers – Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami. Jadeja is at present enjoying within the West Indies sequence and has picked up 81 wickets in 25 Test matches whereas Shami has scalped 85 wickets in 24 Tests. Jadeja will probably be in motion within the second Test towards the Caribbeans and Shami has been rested for this sequence. Afridi will once more get an opportunity to add more wickets to his tally within the second innings of the continuing Test match towards Sri Lanka.
