Mohsin Ali
ISLAMABAD: Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis struck commanding centuries as Sri Lanka reached 404-4 on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
De Silva was unbeaten on 167, while Mendis was 117 not out as the two batters held Pakistan at bay with an unbroken 249-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Sri Lanka closed within 30 runs of Pakistan’s first-innings total of 434-9 declared.
Mendis also became the first Sri Lankan to make a century in his maiden Test as captain, having taken over the role from De Silva before the series.
Their stand set a new Sri Lankan record against Pakistan, surpassing the 207-run partnership between Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan in Lahore in 2009.
De Silva, who was dropped by Saud Shakeel on 38 off pacer Razaullah, made the most of the chance and struck 20 fours in his 241-ball innings. He completed his 14th Test hundred, his fourth against Pakistan and second at the Rawalpindi venue, with a boundary off spinner Arafat Minhas.
Mendis played the more attacking hand, hitting four sixes and 10 fours. He reached his 11th Test century with a ramp boundary off Razaullah.
Sri Lanka added 290 runs during the day before bad light brought play to an end 15 minutes early.
Pakistan’s bowlers endured a difficult day, with Mohammad Abbas returning figures of 2-64 and debutant Saqib Khan taking 2-105.
Earlier, Sri Lanka lost only one wicket in the first session as De Silva and Kamindu Mendis added 90 for the fourth wicket, building on the overnight score of 114-3. Kamindu made 58 from 131 balls with eight fours before edging Abbas to wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori, leaving Sri Lanka 155-4.
Pakistan had declared their first innings at 434-9 on Tuesday after resuming from 281-5. Saud Shakeel top-scored with 93, while debutants Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha and Arafat Minhas made half-centuries to put the hosts in a strong position.
Sri Lanka had ended the second day at 114-3, trailing Pakistan by 320 runs, after Abbas and debutant Saqib struck early before Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis steadied the innings with an unbeaten 49-run stand.
The second Test will also be played in Rawalpindi from November 17 after being shifted from Lahore because of poor weather.
