Imam-ul-Haq anchors nervy chase as Pakistan win by four wickets

Pakistan 461 (Shakeel 208*, Salman 83, Ramesh Mendis 5-136) and 133 for 6 (Imam 50*, Jayasuriya 4-56) beat Sri Lanka 312 (Dhananjaya 122, Abrar 3-68, Afridi 3-86, Naseem 3-90) and 279 (de Silva 82, Ahmed 3-68, Ali, 3-75) by 4 wickets

Galle: In a thrilling display of cricket, Pakistan emerged victorious over Sri Lanka by four wickets in the first Test match held at Galle International Stadium on Thursday.

The series forms part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

This victory marks Pakistan's first Test win in exactly one year, with their last win also coming in Galle on July 20, 2022.

This triumph is a significant milestone for the team, ending a barren run and providing a great start to the new WTC cycle. The first Test of this year between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was marked by several notable performances from both teams.

The fourth day of the Test saw Pakistan needing 83 runs to win with seven wickets in hand. Despite losing three early wickets, Pakistan managed to maintain their composure and steadily build their score.

Imam-ul-Haq played a crucial role in this victory, scoring an impressive unbeaten half-century amidst the top-order chaos. His calm and composed performance was a significant factor in making the chase relatively drama-free for Pakistan.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had a challenging start, being reduced to 54-4 in the first innings. However, they staged a fightback and reached 242-6 at stumps on the first day.

Despite their efforts, the hosts were bundled out for 312. Shaheen Shah Afridi, making a comeback to the test series, achieved a significant milestone by completing 100 Test wickets on Day 1. He ended the first Test against Sri Lanka with a total of five wickets. His performance was instrumental in Pakistan's victory.

Pakistan's first innings received a major boost thanks to Saud Shakeel's unbeaten knock of 208, contributing significantly to his team's score.

Despite a five-wicket haul from Sri Lanka's Ramesh Mendis in the first innings, Pakistan managed to maintain their lead. In the second innings, Imam-ul-Haq hit an unbeaten fifty for Pakistan, further strengthening their position.

Prabath Jayasuriya's four-wicket haul in the second innings proved insufficient to turn the tide in Sri Lanka's favour.