COLOMBO: A remarkable maiden Test hundred by Ibrahim Zadran helped Afghanistan recover in the one-off Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, as the tourists ended day three on 199 for one on Sunday.

Afghanistan had to show fight in their second dig after being shot out for 198 in the first innings to concede a lead of 241.

Ibrahim went past his previous best Test score of 87 and then completed his maiden Test hundred in the last over of the day with a single to covers, leaving him unbeaten on 101.

It is only the fourth Test hundred by an Afghan. The 22-year-old opening batsman was given two reprieves.

The first was on 39 when Prabath Jayasuriya put down a tough return catch, and then again on 63 when Nishan Madushka at short mid-off dropped a catch off Jayasuriya’s bowling.

The wicket had flattened out but still the Afghan batters had to show application, and they put up a fine show as Sri Lanka struggled to find the breakthroughs.

It was a disciplined effort by the bowlers and Jayasuriya was required to bowl long spells, sending down 32 overs but without picking up a wicket.

A record 106-run stand for the first wicket between Ibrahim and Noor Ali Zadran set the platform for Afghanistan’s second innings.

That improved on the 53-run stand between Ibrahim and Javed Ahmadi against West Indies in 2019.

After tea, Asitha Fernando tested the batters by reverse swinging the ball and dismissed Noor Ali for 47 when he trapped the debutant leg before wicket.

It was a much-needed breakthrough for Sri Lanka, having failed to pick up a wicket in the afternoon session.

Allrounder Rahmat Shah, the top scorer in the first innings, then joined Ibrahim and added an unbroken 93 runs for the second wicket. He was 46 not out.

Kasun Rajitha was drafted into the side after debutant fast bowler Chamika Gunasekara was hit on the helmet by a nasty Naveed Zadran delivery.

Sri Lanka earlier resumed on their overnight total of 410-6 and were bowled out for 439 as they lost their last four wickets for 12 runs.

SCOREBOARD

AFGHANISTAN (1st Innings) 198 (R. Shah 91, V. Fernando 4-51, A.

Fernando 3-24. P. Jayasuriya 3-67)

SRI LANKA (1st innings, overnight 410-6):

N. Madushka c Noor b Naveed 37

D. Karunaratne c Ibrahim b Qais 77

K. Mendis c Zia b Nijat 10

A. Mathews hit wicket b Qais 141

D. Chandimal c Ikram b Naveed 107

D. de Silva run out 0

S. Samarawickrama c Rahmat b Naveed 27

C. Gunasekara retired out 16

P. Jayasuriya b Naveed 2

V. Fernando not out 0

A. Fernando b Nijat 0

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-9, W-5, NB-3) 22

TOTAL (all out, 109.2 overs) 439

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-93 (Madushka), 2-115 (Mendis), 3-148 (Karunaratne), 4-380 (Chandimal), 5-380 (de Silva), 6-410 (Mathews), 7-427 (Samarawickrama), 8-435 (Jayasuriya), 9-439 (A. Fernando)

BOWLING: Masood 19.2-3-76-2 (1nb), Saleem 12.1-0-57-0 (2nb), N. Zadran 22.5-4-83-4 (5w), Zia 28-2-90-0, Q. Ahmed 22-2-98-2, Shah 3-0-10-0, Shahidi 2-0-11-0.

AFGHANISTAN (second Innings):

I. Zadran not out 101

N. Ali lbw b A. Fernando 47

R. Shah not out 46

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-1, NB-1) 5

TOTAL (for one wicket, 75 overs) 199

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-106 (Noor)

STILL TO BAT: H. Shahidi, N. Jamal, I. Alikhil, Q. Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman, N.

Masood, N. Zadran, M. Saleem

BOWLING: V. Fernando 11-3-30-0, A. Fernando 13-2-35-1 (1w), Rajitha 10-2-43-0 (1nb), Jayasuriya 32-9-66-0, de Silva 9-1-22-0.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2024