Pakistan spinners strike but Sri Lanka’s Madushka stands firm

Opener Nishan Madushka stood firm after Sri Lanka lost three wickets and still trailed Pakistan by 55 runs on day four of the rain-hit opening Test on Wednesday.

Lunch was taken with the hosts at 94-3 in their second innings after play started late due to a damp playing area at the picturesque Galle stadium.

Noman Ali took two wickets and fellow spinner Abrar Ahmed one after Madushka and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne began strongly with an opening stand of 42.

Madushka was unbeaten on 47 at the break alongside Dinesh Chandimal on one.

Ahmed struck first with his leg spin to send back Karunaratne, caught at midwicket for 20, to check Sri Lanka’s brisk start.

Ali trapped Kusal Mendis lbw for 18, a decision that the batsman reviewed but lost.

The left-armer struck another blow when he had former captain Angelo Mathews caught out for seven, with Pakistan skipper Babar Azam taking a stunning catch at slip.

Middle-order batsman Saud Shakeel has remained the star for Pakistan so far with his unbeaten first-innings 208 — his maiden Test ton — in his team’s 461 all out on day three.

Shakeel’s marathon knock handed Pakistan a handy lead of 149 in response to Sri Lanka’s 312 in a rain-interrupted match. More rain is predicted on day four.