Younis Khan takes Pakistan to safety
Third Pakistani to score a triple hundred:
Captain Younis Khan scored his maiden triple hundred as Pakistan edged closer towards Sri Lanka’s record breaking first innings total of 644 runs on the penultimate day of the opening Test match continued at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday.
Pakistan finished the fourth day on 574 for 5 just 70 runs away from the Sri Lankan total with a draw most likely on the card. Younis Khan was batting on a magnificent 306 while Kamran Akmal was not out on 22.
This Test match which is also the first to be played in Pakistan since December 2007 has already turned out to be a statistician’s delight with a number records already been shattered at the National Stadium in Karachi.
The latest entry into the list of records was the magnificent double hundred scored by the Pakistan captain Younis Khan following Mahela Jayawardena’s knock of 240. This was the first instance in the history of Test cricket that both captains had scored a double century in the same match which is a unique achievement.
Younis Khan’s effort was even more significant considering the fact that he became only the third Pakistan batsman after Hanif Mohamed and Inzimam ul Haq to score a triple hundred.
The number three batsman achieved his goal in great style while reverse sweeping Muttiah Muralitharan for three runs past fine leg. Younis Khan showed a great amount of concentration and determination in building his innings where he occupied the crease for a marathon 681 minutes, facing 510 deliveries and stroking 27 boundaries and four sixes. He is also the first ever Pakistan captain to score a triple hundred in a Test match.
He received excellent support from Faisal Iqbal with the pair putting on 174 runs for the fifth wicket from 274 deliveries. Iqbal completed his seventh Test half century from 141 deliveries inclusive of six boundaries.
Sri Lanka were so frustrated on the field that they even decided to use the part time bowlers Tillekeratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavithana, Kumar Sangakkara and skipper Mahela Jayawardena himself who had the wicket of Faisal Iqbal.
Pakistan of course continued to play safely without taking any risk as they crawled to 358 for 4 at the lunch interval. The placid wicket certainly caused no dangers and Younis Khan settled in again for the long haul.
Sri Lanka did well to get rid off Misbah ul Haq shortly before the break but by that time Pakistan were well on their way to a big first innings total.
The batsmen were more interested in playing time and Younis Khan and Misbah ul Haq did exactly that to frustrate the bowling side.
Their tactics were quite clear to occupy the crease as long as possible and the only danger with this approach was that no pressure was applied on the bowlers.
The pace spin combination of Chaminda Vaas and Ajantha Mendis shared 18 overs in the morning during a very tight spell where they conceded only 37 runs.
In fact the left arm seamer Vaas kept on varying his pace and also bowled several off cutters with wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardena standing up to the stumps.
He was able to create a couple of chances with his perseverance while the batsmen remained cautious.
There was an occasion where Younis Khan edged an attempted cover drive but the ball flew between the wicket keeper and the first slip fielder. Vaas also troubled Misbah ul Haq with a clever delivery just down the leg side but wicket keeper Jayawardena failed to collect cleanly. Ajantha Mendis also toiled hard under hot and humid conditions while mixing his deliveries and varying his pace to good affect.
However he was handled with care by the Pakistan batsmen and also delivered some big hits with Misbah ul Haq hoisting the first six of the match clearing long on.
Skipper Jayawardena then decided to attack the opposition through the combination of Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitharan. But Younis Khan was untroubled with the change of tactics and did not mind even reverse sweeping Muralitharan.
KARACHI, Tuesday.
Sri Lanka
1st innings 644-7 declared
(M. Jayawardene 240, T. Samaraweera 231)
PAKISTAN
1st innings:
(overnight 296-3)
Khurram Manzoor c P. Jayawardene b Mendis 27
Salman Butt c M. Jayawardene b Muralitharan 23
Younus Khan not out 306
Shoaib Malik run out 56
Misbah-ul-Haq lbw b Fernando 42
Faisal Iqbal lbw b M. Jayawardene 57
Kamran Akmal not out 27
EXTRAS: (b4, lb11, nb16, w5) 36
TOTAL: (for five wkts) 574
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-44 (Butt), 2-78 (Manzoor), 3-227 (Malik), 4-357 (Haq)
5-531 (Iqbal).
BOWLING: Vaas 32-9-56-0 (6nb), Fernando 34-2-107-1 (7nb, 1w), Mendis
55-13-135-1 (3nb, 4w), Muralitharan 60-12-165-1, Dilshan 9-2-42-0,
Paranavitana 5-0-33-0, Sangakkara 4-0-15-0, M. Jayawardene 3-0-6-1.
