Malik hits form; puts Pakistan in command

By anand
for Cricketain.com

Published: July 22, 2009

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Rahul Bajaj

Colombo: A beautifully paced century by Shoaib Malik and half centuries by Misbah Ul Haq and Kamran Akmal. Malik who has been going through a lean patch as far as runs are concerned reached his hundred of 178 balls and was unbeaten on 106 at the close of play on Day 3. His century took Pakistan to 300 for 5 by the end of Day 3 taking the total lead to 366.

Earlier, a poor shot, an ordinary umpiring decision and an unplayable delivery boosted Sri Lankan hopes of restricting Pakistan to a low score in the second innings as they slipped to 86 for 4 after starting the day on 16 for 1. Fawad Alam, the young opener, once again got a start but then threw it away by playing a bad shot giving a return catch to Thushara.

Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf put together a useful partnership and were looking good at the crease when a bad umpiring decision by Ian Gould sent Younis back to the pavilion. He was given lbw of Kulasekara when the replays showed that he had got an inside edge on to his pads.

Mohammad Yousuf was playing well at the other end before Sri Lanka introduced Herath into the attack. Yousuf has struggled against Herath throughout the series with the left arm spinner dismissing him 5 times before this innings and he made it 6 times when he bowled a peach of a delivery to Yousuf, which pitched on leg stump, spun and bounced and Yousuf couldn’t do anything else but edge it to Sangakkara. But what followed after that wasn’t what Sri Lanka had in mind.

Shoaib Malik and Misbah Ul Haq batted with ease especially Misbah who looked totally comfortable on a turning track. They added 119 for the 5th wicket and took Pakistan to a position of safety after they were struggling early on. Both rotated the strike cleverly, and as the afternoon session drew to a close, the big strokes were unveiled. Herath, the pick of the bowlers, was pulled for four and then straight-driven for six, before a glance to fine leg off Thushara took Misbah to his third half-century in Tests. Malik, who had been the most positive of the batsmen in the first innings, also smashed Herath for a straight six, and when Misbah ended the session with a sweet on-drive off Angelo Mathews, Pakistan were right on top.

Misbah was eventually dismissed for a well made 65 as he edged one straight to Sangakkara of Matthews. Sri Lanka did have a window of opportunity there with Misbah gone and the second new ball just around the corner, they had a good chance to clean up the lower order. In fact throughout the series, Sri Lanka had sparked collapses with the second new ball, but after tea at the SSC, there was only a torrent of runs. Malik and Akmal took it away with some wonderfully positive batting, as a tiring attack started to leak runs.

Akmal set the tone with some lovely drives and a powerful pull off Nuwan Kulasekara, and Malik joined in with booming drives through midwicket and cover off Thilan Thushara. When Chaminda Vaas came on for probably his final spell in international cricket, Akmal responded with a mighty heave over long-off, and Sri Lanka’s problems were accentuated when Sangakkara messed up a stumping chance off Rangana Herath when Malik was on 91.

Malik made full use of that chance and reached his hundred of 178 balls with a four and a six down the ground of Herath. This was Malik’s 2nd test century in his short test career of 26 tests. When Akmal brought up his half-century moments later, there was plenty for the dressing room to smile about.

By the end of the day, Malik was unbeaten on 106 of 186 balls and has shared an unbeaten partnership of 114 runs with Kamran Akmal who himself is batting on 60. Pakistan are already ahead by 366 runs and there is only one way this match seems to be going from here.  Pakistan has pretty much made sure that they don’t lose this game. The only two results possible are a Pakistan win or a draw but a draw is still far away with plenty of time to go in the test and the pitch deteriorating by the moment.

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