Jim Laker, Anil Kumble, Ejaz Patel…. Noman Ali made it possible to add his name to the short list of 10-wicket takers in Test innings today. But Nasim Shah gave 'bugra'!
Pakistan's left-handed spinner Noman picked up Sri Lanka's first 7 wickets one by one. But Nasim did not let that happen after getting a great reverse swing in the late afternoon. Sri Lanka's innings ended quickly when the right-handed pacer picked up 3 wickets in 6 balls. That wraps up not just an innings, but a match and a series as well.
On the fourth day of the Colombo Test today, Noman-Naseem's bowling stormed and Sri Lanka's second innings stopped at 188 runs. Sri Lanka's total was just 354 as they were stuck for 166 in the first innings. And Pakistan scored 576 runs for 5 wickets in one innings. This means Babar Azam's team won by a huge margin of innings and 222 runs.
Along with this, Pakistan also won the series by 2-0 due to victory in Galle Test. Pakistan won the series for the tenth time in the Test series of two or more matches between the two teams. And Sri Lanka won the series after 29 years, the last being in 1994.
There was little doubt about Pakistan's victory on the morning of the fourth day at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo. Pakistan announced the first innings by adding only 13 runs to the previous day's 563 runs. Mohammad Rizwan completed his fifty by picking up 13 runs alone.
Sri Lanka batted 410 runs behind. The opening pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and Nishan Madushka, however, showed signs of resistance, batting for 69 runs in the first 18 overs. However, as soon as Noman came to the bowling, Sri Lanka started to lose. Madushka was bowled on the first ball. Noman, who bowled only 3 overs in the previous innings, scored 33 runs off 72 balls.
The 36-year-old left-arm spinner did not allow any other Sri Lankan batsman to settle after that. Karunaratne (41 off 61 balls), Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadira Samarawickrama, and Ramesh Mendis were out each of his spin Velki. Sri Lanka lost their seventh wicket at 69 for 177 for no wickets - all by Noman.
Drama ensued with Ramesh's dismissal before Noman's seventh victim. In the 62nd over of the innings, Nasim's second ball hits Ramesh's pads. Pakistan took a review if the umpire did not give out, but the decision stood as the leg stump was missed. After that, Nasim appealed again for LBW against Ramesh in the third and fourth balls. The umpire gave out both times. However, Ramesh persisted in asking for a review.
However, Ramesh, who scored 16 runs off 42 balls, was stumped when Noman went forward after a while.
Nasim picked up the last three Sri Lankan batsmen even though he could not get Ramesh out. So the hosts stopped again two hundred years ago. Lose the series with the match.
Summary Score:
Sri Lanka: 166 and 188 (Mathews 63*, Karunaratne 41, Madushka 33; Noman 7/70, Naseem 3/44).
Pakistan First Innings: 576/5 Dec. (Shafiq 201, Salman 132*, Shakeel 57; Asita 3/133, Jayasuriya 2/194).
Result: Pakistan won by an innings and 222 runs.
Series: Pakistan won 2–0.
