DHAKA: Off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal and pacer Dhammika Prasad carved out Pakistan’s batting order, bowling the visitors out for 138 on the first day of the second Test at P Sara Oval, reports espncricinfo.
Pakistan’s batting implosion took place in the second session of the day - a rain-affected one with an interruption of 55 minutes - as they slumped from 70 for 2, losing their last eight wickets for 68 runs.
Sri Lanka’s top order blunted Pakistan’s attack and they went to stumps at 70 for 1, trailing by 68 runs with Kumar Sangakkara and Kaushal Silva to resume play on day two.
Sri Lanka had found themselves in a similar position in the Galle Test, when Pakistan's top order had failed. In that game, Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq's resistance had snatched the game away from Sri Lanka, but on a pitch known for its record of producing results, Sri Lanka's attack tightened their grip on Pakistan, all without the help of Rangana Herath, who did not bowl an over in the day.
At the centre of Sri Lanka's effort was Kaushal, who was picked for the second Test in place of the injured Dilruwan Perera, and playing first Test at home.
If the second session belonged to Kaushal, it was the quicks Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera, making his debut, who set up the first, responding to the challenge of having to bowl first.
Prasad struck early with Ahmed Shehzad's wicket, bending his back to extract all the help he could find from the pitch, but just as impressive was Chameera, who harried Pakistan's batsmen with speeds of 145kph in his first spell, and even reached the 150kph mark in the second session.
Before the game, Mathews had called for better shot selection from his batsmen and the manner of Dimuth Karunaratne's dismissal would have come as a disappointment.
BDST: 1020 HRS, JUN 26, 2015
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