There are few teams that face Sri Lanka and manage a win in spin fortress Galle. But Pakistan did just that and reversed the trend in the southern coastal town with a four-wicket win in the first Test, leaving the hosts battling to level the two-match series.
The tourists surprised the Sri Lankans with their attacking batting – even when 101-5 in the first innings, they kept the scoring rate at five runs an over.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the second Test that starts on Monday, Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn said that his team’s long-term target is to become the top-ranked team. Pakistan are currently ranked sixth and a 2-0 series win will help to close the ranks on fifth-place New Zealand.
“We want to keep improving our skills. We are growing all the time,” Bradburn said. “We want to be No 1 in the world and to do that we want to have players in the top-10 ranks for bowlers and batters. We are very happy with the way we played in Galle. Now that chapter is over. This venue is a different examination.”
Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club grounds will host the next match, and it's a venue known as being batting-friendly.
Sri Lanka’s batters looked comfortable against spin so Pakistan will look at bolstering its pace attack. Both Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi troubled the Sri Lankans in the opener with extreme pace.
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Pakistan's Saud Shakeel scored a brisk 30 to help secure victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. AP -
Pakistan's Imam-ul-Haq, second right, and Agha Salman after completing a four-wicket win in the Galle Test. AFP -
Pakistan's Imam-ul-Haq after reaching his fifty. AFP -
Pakistan captain Babar Azam takes off for a run. AFP -
Babar Azam was dismissed for 24. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, left, picked up four wickets. AP
Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood is demanding improvement in all three departments from his team after a disappointing show in Galle. Sri Lanka’s batting collapsed twice in the game and, if not for Dhananjaya de Silva’s 122 and 82, they would have fared much worse.
Sri Lanka’s seamers were ineffective while the spinners were wayward. Two dropped catches off Pakistan's double centurion Saud Shakeel also proved to be costly as the hosts looked underprepared.
“There are certain areas I have pushed harder. We need to improve a few things and fielding is certainly one of those,” Silverwood said. “If you analyse the last test, we fell short in all three departments and we are seeking improvements moving forward.”
Seamer Asitha Fernando has been added to the squad and he is expected to feature in the game. Pakistan are set to field an unchanged side.
