Spinners bounce back as Pakistan reduce Sri Lanka to 257/7 on Day 3

GALLE: Pakistan spinner rebounded after a dominating first session by Sri Lankan batter as Yasir Shah claimed three wickets while Mohammad Nawaz bagged four to reduce Sri Lanka to 257/7 before Tea on the third day of the first Test, here on Monday.

Leg-spinner Shah dismantled the strong-looking 91-run partnership between opener Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis when Sri Lanka resumed their inning on 132/2 after Lunch.

Fernando departed without disturbing the scoreboard in the second session after he played a gritty knock of 64 runs.

All-rounder Angelo Mathew failed to impress with the bat as Nawaz dismissed the Sri Lankan veteran cheaply on 9.

Mendis, on the other hand, continued to upset the Pakistan bowlers and looked dangerous on 76 before Shah’s sharp turning ball hit the off-stump to end his inning.

Dhananjaya De Silva combined excellently with the middle-order batter Dinesh Chandimal to raise the 40-run partnership after Sri Lanka were struggling at 178/5.

However, Shah again took the charge and dislodged the stump to send De Silva back to the pavilion after scoring 20.

Meanwhile, Nawaz dismissed wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella on 12 to claim his fourth wicket of the inning and third of the day.

Chandimal and spinner Ramesh Mendis will continue the Sri Lankan batting after the tea with respective scores of 34 and 19.

Earlier, Sri Lanka looked in a dominating position on 132/2 before Lunch as Fernando and -and Mendis remained firm on the crease after spinner Mohammad Nawaz provided a breakthrough early in the day.

Sri Lanka resumed the day’s play with an overnight score of 36/1 and lost its lone wicket of the session at a 50-run total as Nawaz dismissed Kasun Rajitha on 7 in a leg-before wicket.

Meanwhile, Pakistan raised 218 in its first inning after the skipper Babar Azam shone with a blistering century on the second day despite a batting collapse.