SL VS PAK - 2nd Test, Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka, 2023

Pakistan came over here as perhaps the favourites, the hosts did show some fight in Galle, but it was a one-sided contest here at the SSC. Pakistan are slowly building a solid Test unit, but they haven't been really challenged over here. On the other hand, Sri Lanka came over after vanquishing self doubts about their white-ball cricket by safely qualifying through to the 2023 WC, but will be concerned at the dwindling fortunes of their long format game. By virtue of this 2-0 series win, Pakistan have taken an early lead in the #WTC25 table, but there is a long way to go and plenty of red-ball cricket to be played. Speaking of which, Test cricket will take a break at the moment as teams start preparing for the upcoming World Cup, scheduled in India and starting from October 5th. Lots and lots of thrill a minute action awaits us and we'll be back with more cricket shortly. For now, cheers and bye..

Babar Azam - Very proud to win the series, all credit to the boys and the coaching staff who've worked hard from the last 3-4 months. Everyone put in their efforts for us to win the series. We ticked all the boxes, we worked hard on batting and fielding, not a lot of it in the pitch for the pacers, but they bowled really well in both Tests. This is a team game, Saud in the first Test and Abdullah here were outstanding. We are taking it series by series and will try to perform at our best. We have a plan, we decided to play positive cricket and play up to our strengths, we want an improvement of at least 5-10%, it's not easy to win here, but I think we dominated them in both matches.

Dimuth Karunaratne- As I said in Galle, the batting unit needed to stand up, but 166 in the first innings wasn't enough. It was a pretty good wicket, but we threw away our wickets and we were always chasing from there on. Once you start an innings, it's important to build on, got a lot of 20s and 30s, but no one could go on, unlike the Pakistan batters. We will have to sit down, see what went wrong and try to overcome it. We were expecting to do a few things, but they batted well during the tough times and milked the rest of the time. That's what we will have to learn as well. Last few years, the Test  specialists have found it hard, they've to wait for the Test matches. I don't think we had any positives with either bat or ball, we weren't consistent with either line and lengths. 

Salman Agha | Player of the Series - We were 101 for 5 (in Galle) and we were looking to build a partnership (with Shakeel). The key was to remain positive and that worked well. He was my captain, we have played together at Lahore and Karachi and knew each other's game well. I just want to do well for Pakistan and that's what I'm doing at the moment. I just back myself to play positively and that helps in my strike-rate as well.

Abdullah Shafique | Player of the Match - I would like to congratulate the team for winning the series, this will give us a lot of confidence, and I was happy that I managed to contribute my bit. It's been good for me, a first hundred after a year. I didn't know (on becoming the 1st overseas opener to score a double hundred at SSC), but I was just happy that I helped my team get the win and that's all which matters.

He took the first 7 wickets to fall with a mix of guile and accuracy, it did help that the hosts were generous with some recklessness on their part as well. At one stage, there were thoughts about him becoming only the 4th bowler to take all 10 wickets in an innings, but Naseem would've none of it, he ripped through the tail with some potent reverse swing and left Mathews stranded on 63*. Plenty to think for Dimuth Karunaratne, Chris Silverwood and company, but they'll reflect on the fallen standards of Sri Lankan cricket. They've always been fierce competitors at home, but that has been breached so ruthlessly by an efficient Pakistan unit. For the visitors, they couldn't have envisaged a better start to their #WTC25 campaign as they pocketed a maximum of 24 points. Tougher challenges lie ahead, but they look good for the upcoming tasks. Presentations coming up in a bit..

16:36 Local Time, 11:06 GMT, 16:36 IST: Quite a drubbing for the hosts, they have been completely outplayed and outthought in this series, but this was as humiliating as it gets. They won the toss and it's fair enough to say they always looked second best, right from the moment Nishan Madhushka was run-out in the 4th over of the first day. 166 was a record low for them at the SSC and they never recovered. If the batters were below average, the bowlers were hapless, lack of consistency from them meant they coudn't put an ounce of pressure on the Pakistani batters. A maiden double hundred for Abdullah Shafique, a 2nd Test hundred for Salman Agha and there were half-centuries for Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, who came into the game only as a concussion substitute. 410 was a massive deficit, but one expected Sri Lanka to at least show some fight, but that's something which never came. The openers added 69 for the first wicket before Noman sliced through the batting order.

Naseem Shah to Madushanka, out Bowled!! That's it, Pakistan win by an innings and 222 runs - this is Sri Lanka's heaviest ever defeat at home in Tests, the reverse swing doing the trick for Naseem, full and shaping back into the right-hander - very full and Madushanka has no chance, crashes into the middle-stump and that's all over at the SSC. Madushanka b Naseem Shah 0(3)

Naseem Shah to Madushanka, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Naseem Shah to Madushanka, no run, half-an-appeal for LBW, but this was swinging down leg, a reverse swinging full-toss and Madushanka wwas beaten on the inside edge, was struck miles down leg though

Naseem Shah to Madushanka, no run, shout for LBW, but this is going down leg, nipped back in ans caught Madushanka on the front-pad, but the imapct was only in front of leg-stump

Dilshan Madushanka, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Naseem Shah to Asitha Fernando, out Bowled!! Naseem is on a roll and his reverse swing is too hot to handle for the Sri Lankan tail, nipped back in a long way and burst through Asitha's defences, he was rooted to the crease and couldn't get his bat down in time, the ball crashing into the off-stump and sending Asitha on his way - Pakistan a wicket away from sealing a 2-0 series win. They've taken drinks at the fall of the wicket as well. Asitha Fernando b Naseem Shah 0(2)

Naseem Shah to Asitha Fernando, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Noman Ali to Mathews, FOUR, the field came up to stop the single and Mathews helped himself to a boundary! Floated up full outside off, Mathews strides out to reach the pitch and slaps it over mid-off

Noman Ali to Mathews, no run, flatter delivery on middle, Mathews presses back and punches it towards cover

Noman Ali to Mathews, no run, full on middle, Mathews leans in to defend

Noman Ali to Mathews, no run, full on middle, Mathews prods forward to defend

Noman Ali to Mathews, no run, length delivery outside off, Mathews doesn't bother offering a shot

Noman Ali to Mathews, no run, length delivery outside off, Mathews lets it go