Sadeera, Nuwanidu shine on day two against Pakistan

Sadeera Samarawickrama drives during his innings of 91

Sadeera Samarawickrama smacked 91 off 99 balls with 13 fours and Nuwanidu Fernando played a dogged innings of 78 off 177 balls as Sri Lanka Cricket XI finished the second day of the three-day warm-up match 45 runs behind Pakistan with five wickets in hand at the Colts grounds yesterday. 

Pakistan carried their overnight total of 277-7 to 323 all out with Agha Salman completing a half-century off 79 balls (three fours). Off-spinner Lakshitha Manasinghe added another wicket to his first day tally to finish with four wickets for 85 off 25 overs.

Sri Lanka got off to a steady start with Nishan Madushka and Samaraweera putting on 63 in an opening partnership against the pace of Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali. Madushka retired to the pavilion with his score on 23 apparently feeling unwell and Samaraweera joined by Fernando carried the total to 158 before Samaraweera fell to off-spinner Agha Salman offering Yasir Shah a catch.  

But Fernando carried on despite losing skipper Nipun Dananjaya for 14 and Lahiru Udara for four both falling to the left-arm spin of Mohammad Nawaz who ended the day with figures of 2 for 24. Madushka returned to resume his innings at the fall of Sahan Arachchige’s wicket for 28 to remain unbeaten on 39 at the close with Chamikara Karunaratne (14*). The match resumes on its third and final day today.

Scores: 

•  Pakistan 323 (Azhar Ali 43, Babar Azam 88, Fawad Alam 22, Mohammad Rizwan 31, Saud Shakeel 30, Agha Salman 55, Dilshan Madushanka 2/59, Lasith Embuldeniya 2/83, Lakshitha Manasinghe 4/85)
•  Sri Lanka Cricket XI 278-5 at close (Nishan Madushka 39*, Sadeera Samarawickrama 91, Nuwanidu Fernando 78, Mohammad Nawaz 2/24)