PAK v SL | We played well for two days, then Pakistan outplayed us, admits Dimuth Karunaratne
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne conceded that hosts Pakistan outplayed his Sri Lankan team, though the visitors were going strong for the first two days. After taking an 80-run lead in the first innings, Pakistan came back strongly to win the Test by 263 runs and the series 1-0 at Karachi.
In the end, Sri Lanka never even managed to come close to the mammoth fourth-innings target of 476 runs. The visitors first bowled Pakistan out for a score less than 200 and then batted decently to mount an 80-run lead. But Karunaratne praised the home team for making a strong comeback, led by the top four all getting hundreds.
“I thought we did really well in the first two days. But Azhar and his team came back strongly and put us under pressure. We lost our patience as well and in Test cricket, we need to be patient. But they outplayed us,” Karunaratne said at the post-match presentation, reported Cricbuzz.
“A lead of 80 was really good, but we bowled a lot of loose balls. We were under pressure and they were scoring around ten in an over and couldn't come back. They dominated after that,” he said.
Despite the series loss, Karunaratne drew out the few bright sparks, particularly that of fellow opening batsman Oshada Fernando, who resisted the Pakistani attack in the fourth innings with a century.
“Oshada's hundred was under tough circumstances. He showed us how to bat here. Lahiru Kumara was really outstanding with the way he was bowling. All the others have to lift their game for the next series. Thanks a lot to all the Pakistani fans for supporting us, and a thank you to the PCB for the security they provided us,” Karunaratne added.
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