Azhar keeps Lanka at bay, joins Pakistan’s 5,000 Test runs club

Azhar Ali once more rescued Pakistan’s batting with a fighting halfcentury on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in AbuDhabi yesterday.The one-drop batsman was unbeaten on 74 but saw Babar Azam fell for 28in the last over of the day as Pakistan finished on 266-4 on a SheikhZayed Stadium pitch which has started to assist spinners.Pakistan still trail the Sri Lankan first innings total of 419 by 153runs with six wickets intact. Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Ali inthe post Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq era who retired in May this yearafter shouldering team’s batting for nearly seven years.A cautious Ali made sure Pakistan do not concede a big lead in the firstinnings, having hit only one boundary in his 26th Test half century.In all Ali has so far hit three boundaries during his 297 minutes ofbatting. He added 79 for the third wicket with Asad Shafiq who made 39to take the fight to Sri Lankan three-pronged spin attack.Veteran left-arm spinner Herath was the most successful bowler with 2-47.When on 32, Ali also completed 5,000 Test runs in his 61st Test. Hebecame the eighth Pakistan batsmen behind Younis Khan (10,099), JavedMiandad (8832) Inzamam-ul-Haq (8829), Mohamed Yousuf (7530), Salim Malik(5768), Misbah (5222) and Zaheer Abbas (5062) to reach the milestone. But it was the opening pair of Shan Masood and Sami Aslam who set theplatform for a big total by putting together a solid 114-run openingstand after they resumed at 64 without loss.Sri Lanka, however, hit back by removing both openers in the space oftwo runs. Aslam, recalled after being dropped from the West Indies touron disciplinary grounds earlier this year, was trapped leg-before byoff-break bowler Dilruwan Perera. He hit four boundaries in his seventhTest half century.Two runs later Masood attempted a sweep shot off the wily Herath but missed the ball and was bowled round his legs. Pakistan had luck on their side with the reviews as both Ali and Shafiqsurvived confident appeals. Ali wisely reviewed a leg-before decisionoff Perera, but the ball hit his bat before the pad.Shafiq was given not out on a review when he was stumped off Herath onone.It was Herath who finally dislodged Shafiq when a sharp turnercaught an edge off Shafiq’s bat, deflected from wicketkeeper NiroshanDickwella’s thigh to slip where Lahiru Thirimanne took the catch.