Pakistan’s left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq took an astonishing catch during day one of the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Galle on Sunday.
Imam got Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper Sadeera Samarawickrama — who was well settled with 36 off 57 — as he was stationed at short leg by taking a spectacular one-handed catch as Salman Ali Aghla bowled the last ball of the day.
Imam’s effort — which is called the catch of the series by fans — was not only lauded by his fellow cricketers but one of Sri Lanka’s officials was also seen clapping for the 27-year-old.
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Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who came in as a substitute for a short period of time, also grabbed everyone’s attention with his super-reflexes during fielding.
Fielding at fine leg, Rizwan stopped a certain boundary with a diving effort and was applauded by his fellow cricketers.
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Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first.
Despite struggling early on a rain-affected day as Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi — who completed 100 Test wickets today — wreaked havoc on the Lankan batters and sent three of them back to the pavilion at just 53 runs.
However, Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva, stitched a century stand, 131 runs in 198 balls, for the fifth wicket as Sri Lanka made a comeback in the second session.
However, spinner Abrar Ahmed struck on the stroke of tea after Mathews edged one to wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed. He scored 64 runs with the help of nine fours.
Dhananjaya was unbeaten on 94 runs, with the help of 10 fours and three sixes, as Sri Lanka reached 242-6 at stumps.
Lineups
Sri Lanka: 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Nishan Madhushka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), 8 Ramesh Mendis, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Vishwa Fernando
Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Shan Masood, 4 Babar Azam (capt), 5 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), 6 Saud Shakeel, 7 Agha Salman, 8 Nauman Ali, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Abrar Ahmed, 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi
Schedule
16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo