Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan, 3rd Test, Day 4: Highlights, Scorecard and Report

Pakistan gave themselves a wonderful chance to secure a historic victory in the third Test against Sri Lanka, as they rallied to within 147 runs of victory on Day 4.

After being bowled out for 313 earlier in the day, hosts Sri Lanka set a victory target of 377 thanks to a superb century from skipper Angelo Mathews. But unbeaten centuries from Shan Masood (114) and Younis Khan (101) saw Pakistan close on 230 for two and on the cusp of an astonishing comeback win.

If Pakistan knock off the runs required on Tuesday, not only will they clinch this series 2-1, it will be the highest successful fourth innings run chase in their history.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	Fours	Sixes
Mathews	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Imran Khan	122	392	252	12	1
Mubarak	c Azhar Ali	b Yasir Shah	35	122	94	6	0
Chandimal	lbw	b Imran Khan	67	150	103	8	0
Prasad	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Imran Khan	0		1	0	0
Kaushal	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Imran Khan	8	21	16	1	0
Lakmal	c Sarfraz Ahmed	b Imran Khan	0	19	4	0	0
Pradeep	not out		4	8	4	1	0
Extras		0nb 3w 4b 9lb	16
Total		all out (95.4 ovs)	313
Bowler				Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Rahat Ali				21.0	3	82	2
Ehsan Adil				17.0	4	66	1
Imran Khan				20.4	3	58	5
Yasir Shah				32.0	7	80	2
Azhar Ali				5.0	1	14	0

Resuming on 228 for five with a healthy lead of 291 intact, Sri Lanka looked as though they’d race clear on Day 4. But after a solid beginning to the day, Khan wreaked havoc in the hosts’ middle order with the second new ball.

Warren Little/Getty Images

At the start of the 86th over, Sri Lanka were 278 for five. Just 62 balls later they were all out for 313, as Khan dazzled in the early Pallekele sunshine. The Pakistan star took all five remaining wickets, finishing with figures of five for 58, to give his team an outside chance of victory.

Khan's five-wicket haul included a first ball duck for Dhammika Prasad, handing him a dreaded king pair. As cricket statistician Mohandas Menon notes here, it’s an unwanted and rare accolade for the Sri Lanka man:

In the midst of all the carnage out on field, Mathews kept his cool at the other end, going to his fifth Test century. And given the manner in which the majority of his team-mates had capitulated around him, it was a crucial one from the Sri Lanka skipper.

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Cricket expert Ayaz Memon paid tribute to Mathews, who always seems to find his very best form when under pressure:

But when Pakistan resumed needing 377 runs to win, there seemed to be very little pressure on the hosts. Even less so when the tourists’ star batsman, Ahmed Shehzad, was dismissed in just the second over for a duck.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	Fours	Sixes
Masood	not out		114	288	198	11	1
Shehzad		b Lakmal	0	5	3	0	0
Azhar Ali	c Chandimal	b Prasad	5	24	14	0	0
Younus Khan	not out		101	254	166	9	0
Extras		3nb 1w 0b 6lb	10
Total		for 2 (63.0 ovs)	230
Bowler				Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Prasad				13.0	2	42	1
Lakmal				12.0	2	34	1
Pradeep				10.0	2	32	0
Mathews				6.0	1	15	0
Kaushal				20.0	1	92	0
Mubarak				2.0	0	9	0

When the determined Azhar Ali followed for five in the seventh over, Pakistan were 13 for two and staring a heavy defeat in the face. The wicket of Ali brought Khan out to bat, though, and alongside Masood, they slowly began to make inroads into the monstrous total.

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Neither man was shutting up shop, either. With Sri Lanka on the attack, there were a few loose deliveries and whenever the ball was there to be hit, both players flung everything at it.

Indeed, as noted here by AltCricket, Masood went to his maiden Test match century with a towering six:

"

Congratulations to Shan Masood, who brings up his maiden Test century with an emphatic six! This kid has got plenty of grit. #SLvPAK

— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) July 6, 2015"

Suddenly Pakistan sensed as though something was there for them in this game, as the Sri Lanka bowlers resembled a jaded bunch. But even at this stage of a Test match, it’s dangerous to drop off physically and even more so when there’s a player as experienced as Khan at the crease.

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The 37-year-old was a brilliant foil for Masood, and with shadows getting longer in Pallekele, he went to his century in the final over of the day. As we can see here courtesy of Cricket Record, the veteran really relishes these chase situations, with this hundred setting an unprecedented mark:

For Pakistan, a historic win is there for the taking. But even though 147 runs may not seem like much with eight wickets remaining, on the fifth day of a Test match, things can quickly go wrong.

The tourists also need to be wary of the threat of the new ball; they will know first hand from Monday’s exploits the kind of damage it can cause in the right hands.  

Khan and Masood both deserve enormous credit for the manner in which they played. The duo nullified Sri Lanka’s spin option on a turning wicket, ground out some early runs and moved through the gears as the day went on. You can bet they’ll each be desperate to finish the job for the tourists on Tuesday.