Pakistan hands Sri Lanka worst home test match defeat to sweep series 2-0
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Pakistan handed Sri Lanka its heaviest home test defeat on Thursday to wrap up the second match at Sinhalese Sports Club inside four days and sweep the series 2-0.
Chasing a first-innings deficit of 410, Sri Lanka were shot out for 188 runs in their second innings with Noman Ali and Naseem Shah sharing all 10 wickets to fall.
The innings and 222-run loss eclipses Sri Lanka’s previous worst at home of an innings and 208 runs against South Africa at SSC in 1993.
It was also Pakistan's first test series win since December 2021.
"Very proud to win this series and all credit to the boys and support staff working very hard," Pakistan captain Babar Azam said. “We had some good camps before coming here and all our hard work paid off I must say on this tour. We have ticked all the boxes. The way our bowlers went about things was very satisfying to see.”
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali was the hero for the Pakistanis, claiming a career best 7-70. It’s the second best total by a Pakistani against Sri Lanka, just behind Imran Khan’s 8-58 in Lahore in 1982.
Naseem Shah reverse swung the old ball to deadly effect and was unlucky to have two leg before decisions overturned after review. But he made his presence felt knocking off the tail in double quick time as Sri Lanka lost the last three wickets in six balls that Naseem sent down.
“Our batting has been horrible,” Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne said. "In both tests we won the toss and had to put up good totals. "But we threw away our wickets and paid the price.
“Feel very disappointed. Not many positives in this series for us.”
It was another shocking batting display by Sri Lanka after starting off well. The opening pair had added 69 for the first wicket and Sri Lanka carried hopes of taking the game to the final day when lunch was taken at 81-1.
But Noman turned the game on its head between lunch and tea as Sri Lanka lost the cream of its batting with five wickets falling.
Noman, who took a wicket off his first ball, accounted for the top seven wickets to fall before Naseem polished off the tail.
Bowling unchanged from the South End, Noman didn’t do anything extraordinary nor did he posses any variations. He just pitched on one spot and the Sri Lankan batters’ options against the ball that was turning away from them were pretty ordinary. It didn’t help that six of the top seven batters were right-handed.
All the wickets that fell after lunch were due to poor strokes as Sri Lankan batters didn’t trust their defenses and only Angelo Mathews showed some fight. He remained unbeaten on 63 having batted for three-and-a-half hours.
Sri Lanka’s last four wickets fell in the final session of the day for just 11 runs.
Sri Lanka had also collapsed in the first innings, where it were bowled out for 166 runs after electing to bat first and another shocking batting display followed in the second essay.
Abdullah Shafique, who posted a maiden double hundred was named Man of the Match while Agha Salman, who contributed with 221 runs and picked up three wickets was named Player of the Series.
“We are really thrilled that we won a test series. It’s been a while since we won one,” Shafique said. "Good confidence booster for all the players.
“I am very pleased to have played a big part in this series. I have done well in Sri Lanka. It’s been a good place this country for me.”
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