Pakistan Win First Test Series At Home In Over Decade After Trouncing Sri Lanka In Karachi

The win over Sri Lanka in Karachi Test also marked Pakistan's first victory  in Test cricket at home in over a decade.

Hosts Pakistan thumped Sri Lanka by 263 runs in the second and final Test at Karachi to wrap up the 2-match Test series at the National Stadium on Monday. The win at Karachi also marked Pakistan's first victory  in Test cricket on home soil in over a decade and brought cheers to their die-hard fans of the sport. Chasing a daunting 476 for victory, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 212 with Oshada Fernando being the lone warrior in the Lankan innings, top scoring with a gutsy 102. Pace sensation Naseem Shah led the bowling efforts for the home team returning with figures of 5/31 in the second innings. With bad weather and continuous rain forcing both the teams to settle for a draw in the first Test in Rawalpindi, locals fans expected a great performance from the home team and Azhar Ali and his boys made sure they didn't disappoint them.

🗓️ November 2019: Bowls a no-ball against Australia. Warner goes on to score 154.

🗓️ December 2019: Picks up five wickets in Karachi, giving 🇵🇰 victory in their first Test series at home in 10 years. What a turnaround from the young Naseem Shah 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rTa2bh8lHB — ICC (@ICC) December 23, 2019

The Lankans could not even add a single run to their overnight score of 212/7. Leg spinner Yasir Shah dismissed overnight centurion Oshada Fernando and Nasir Shah produced a fiery spell to send Lasith Embuldeniya and Vishwa Fernando back to the pavilion to end the Lankan innings. Pakistan were on the verge of winning the second and final Test against Sri Lanka as a combined bowling effort led by Naseem Shah (3/31) reduced the visitors to 212/7 at the close of fourth day's play at the National Stadium here on Sunday, even as opener Oshada Fernando showed grit and determination with an unbeaten knock of 102. Apart from Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella also chipped in with 65 runs down the order while all the other batsmen failed to show any resistance. Sri Lanka still need 264 runs to avoid a defeat. Rookie seamer Naseem Shah received good support form the other bowlers as Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah and Haris Sohail bagged a wicket each to put Pakistan on top of the game. Earlier, resuming the day at 395/2, the hosts added another 160 runs, thanks to centuries by skipper Azhar Ali (118) and Babar Azam (100 not out) who guided Pakistan to an imposing 555/3 (decl) and set a challenging 476-run target for the Islanders. In reply, the Lankan batters failed to click as the Pakistan bowlers kept on jolting them at regular intervals and it was only Fernando who held fort for his side. With Sri Lanka reeling at 97/5 at one stage, it was Fernando and Dickwella who put up a fight, sharing a 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket. However, Sohail then struck to send Dickwella back in the hut. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper's knock was laced with 11 boundaries. Fernando's unbeaten knock included 13 boundaries. The two-Test series marked the return of Test cricket to Pakistan after 10 years. Sri Lanka were the last team to play Tests there, in 2009, when their tour was cut short by an attack on the team bus. With the win, Pakistan have registered their first points in the ongoing World Test Championship. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 271 and 212 all out (Oshada Fernando 102, Niroshan Dickwella 65; Naseem Shah 5/32) vs Pakistan 191 all out and 555/3 declared.