Stumps Pakistan 221 for 5 (Shakeel 69*, Agha 61*, Jayasuriya 3-83) trail Sri Lanka 312 (Dhananjaya 122, Mathews 64, Abrar 3-68, Afridi 3-86, Naseem 3-90) by 91 runs
The middle session had moved the game along more than the entirety of the first day, with Sri Lanka’s spinners demonstrating clear superiority over their counterparts in these conditions. Jayasuriya’s three wickets put Sri Lanka on top even as Pakistan took the attack to the bowlers. Masood’s 30-ball 39 epitomised that approach as Pakistan moved along at 4.71 runs per over, though it did come with the loss of half the side.
Abdullah Shafique survived an exceptionally close lbw shout in the first over before Imam-ul-Haq fell playing a rash cover drive in the second, spooning it into backward point’s lap. Masood’s arrival heralded the start of the only passage in that phase where Pakistan were dominant. Picking up from an impressive display in the two-day warm-up game in Hambantota, Masood continued in the same fashion. He was adept at carving the ball through the covers, exploiting gaps and getting the run rate ticking.
His approach against the quicks necessitated Sri Lanka turning to Jayasuriya as early as in the ninth over, and Masood showed him enough respect to play out a maiden. Ramesh was not afforded the same regard, Masood saving the shot of the innings so far for him, dancing down the track to clobber him over mid-on for a colossal six to get to 39. The very next delivery, though, had him pinned back on leg stump. The umpire didn’t raise the finger but Sri Lanka reviewed, and Hawkeye flashed up three reds, sending a disbelieving Shan on his way.
By now, Jayasuriya had already begun to work his magic, sending Shafique on his way with a hint of extra turn. It would get better for Sri Lanka, when Babar Azam top-edged an arm ball straight up to the keeper, exposing Sarfaraz Ahmed and an inexperienced lower-middle order with Pakistan still 239 runs behind.
Mastery against spin is considered one of Sarfaraz’s strengths, but a sweep too many off Jayasuriya found him struck adjacent enough to be given out lbw in the last half-hour before tea. It left the two new men in Pakistan’s middle order, Agha and Shakeel, to hold Sri Lanka’s relentless spinners off.
In the morning, Pakistan bowled Sri Lanka out for 312, but not before Sri Lanka had added a useful 70 runs with the last four wickets.
Sri Lanka’s Nos. 10 and 11 held Pakistan off much longer than anticipated, though, and scored runs while doing it. Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando added 29 runs for that last wicket, ensuring Sri Lanka crossed 300, and perhaps edging the session in their favour.
That dominance looked to have been underscored firmly through the afternoon, but Pakistan’s late onslaught means the Test remains finely balanced under Galle’s mercurial skies.
Danyal Rasool is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Danny61000