Pakistan take lead before rain washes out opening session

Lunch Pakistan 178 for two (Shafique 87*, Babar 28*) lead Sri Lanka 166 by 12 runs

Solely 10 overs had been doable on the second morning, earlier than enormous downpours rolled via the SSC and washed out the morning session. By lunch, the bottom remained utterly coated, with important rain having fallen on the boundary areas particularly, as the bottom employees rushed to get the covers in place. The afternoon session can be beneath menace of being considerably curtailed.

Babar specifically was tentative early on towards Prabath Jayasuriya, who bowled 17 dot deliveries to begin his day. However ultimately, he started to take dangers towards the left-arm spinner. In Jayasuriya’s fourth over of the day, Babar flitted down the monitor to slam him excessive over the additional cowl boundary.

On the different finish, the runs got here extra freely off the seamers. Shafique had hit the primary boundary of the day with a managed hook towards Dilshan Madushanka, earlier than later, Babar struck Asitha Fernando for 2 off-side boundaries in an over, although certainly one of them could have been unintentional.

That six off Jayasuriya is the stroke that introduced Pakistan stage with Sri Lanka’s rating. When play was interrupted, they had been 12 forward.