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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 3rd Test at Kandy, , Jul 03 2015 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
3rd Test, Pallekele, July 03 - 07, 2015, Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka
278 & 313
(T:377) 215 & 382/3

Pakistan won by 7 wickets

Player Of The Match
171*
younis-khan
Player Of The Series
56 runs • 24 wkts
yasir-shah
New
PAK 2nd Innings
Full commentary

The trophy has been handed to Misbah and the Pakistan players strike a pose. So, a stellar Pakistan turnaround has capped the series, which has ebbed and flowed dramatically. Many thanks for your company and comments. Until next time, ta ta and cheerio.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan captain: It is such a big victory. Younis said that the pitch was not doing much for the bowlers. Shan Masood the way he played took the game away from Sri Lanka. After the Younis-Masood partnership, it was easy for us. The youngsters are doing well for the team. When seamers did not get wickets in the first innings, Yasir bowled tight lines and showed his variations. Then Imran came in on the fourth day and too five wickets. The key factor in the game was to keep calm. We have lost a couple of Tests in Sri Lanka last time when he panicked. We just wanted to bat calmly this time. This series means a lot to me after losing two or three series' in Sri Lanka. Sarfraz in the first innings is the main architect of this win. Asad Shafiq was brilliant in the first Test. After playing so well against Zimbabwe at home, we have a lot of confidence in the ODIs. Sri Lanka are tough competitors at home but we can win the ODIs.

Yasir Shah, Man of the Series: I am playing my tenth game, I do not feel much pressure. People say I smile a lot, that is my natural way. I have worked a lot on my action with Mushy bhai, worked on my googly and made my action repeatable. My target was to take 20 wickets. I bowl according to the wicket. In the second innings, I went around the wicket to make full use of the track.

Younis Khan, Man of the Match: It is not that I train much, but I am involved in everything. I always want to stand up for the team. I play according to the situation. Yesterday when we were fielding, we knew we could chase 400. Credit to Shan Masood, he was amazing. This is a very good bunch of players. Misbah and I keep them calm, they play well under pressure. Yasir Shah has been impressive throughout the series. Imran bowled really well.

Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka captain: It was disappointing. I though we were sitting pretty when he had 377. This was a really good game after both sides were even. The Pakistan bowlers were brilliant in the second innings. Pakistan deserved to win and they played better cricket than us. It turned a little bit but the seamers did not have anything in the last couple of days. We don't have Mahela and Sanga, we will have to take on the challenge and move on. I am trying to contribute both with the bat and ball. It has been a great Test series for both teams. The one-day team will be a fresh team.

Presentation:

1:16pm: Misbah pumps his fist and hugs Younis. He then plucks out a stump as a souvenir and waves to the crowd. Led by Younis, Pakistan have sealed their highest run chase, the second highest in Asia, the highest in Sri Lanka, against Sri Lanka and the sixth highest in all Test cricket.

Younis was troubled by extra bounce in the previous Test - his 100th - but stepped up and illustrated a fourth-innings treatise in the decider, helping Pakistan ease through the shoals of a stiff run chase. Younis is some man. Shan Masood also played a terrific hand, despite his deficiencies against the short ball.

Tharindu Kaushal snaffled Masood for 125 in his first over of the day but lost the plot soon after, straying in lines and lengths. Misbah took over from Masood and struck an unbeaten 59 while Younis cruised from one milestone to another as Pakistan wrapped up the series with more than a session to spare.

Anver Azeez: "Dhoni-like finish by Misbah... a six and the series !"

Noman Yousuf: "Correct me if I am wrong, but haven't Pakistan won every Test that Imran Khan has been part of?" --- You're right...

Muhammad Ilyas : "Misbah also completed 4000 test runs with wining shot "

103.1
6
Mubarak to Misbah, SIX runs

Pakistan win the series with a record chase and they jump to No.3 in the ICC rankings. There comes the topping on the victory pizza. Slid through outside off, Misbah steps out, loads it up, blows it up, and launches it over long-on for a six. Misbah has his hands aloft in delight

end of over 10313 runs
PAK: 376/3CRR: 3.65 
Younis Khan171 (271b 18x4)
Misbah-ul-Haq53 (102b 8x4)
Tharindu Kaushal 31-1-153-1
Jehan Mubarak 3-0-10-0
102.6
2
Kaushal to Younis, 2 runs

on a length and outside off, pushed through the covers for a couple

102.5
1
Kaushal to Misbah, 1 run

pushed through outside off, dabbed past slip

102.4
Kaushal to Misbah, no run

looks like a doosra outside off, he pokes and misses

102.3
4
Kaushal to Misbah, FOUR runs

on a length and on middle, Misbah nips down the track and hoists it to the left of mid-on for a fifty of his own

Dhammika goes off the field..

102.2
4
Kaushal to Misbah, FOUR runs

Misbah races down the track and gets a very full ball. Drills it through mid-off. Dhammika fumbles and hurts his finger in the process

102.1
2
Kaushal to Misbah, 2 runs

pushed through on off, Misbah shapes for a reverse-sweep and hits it past slip, behind point

Kaushal..

end of over 1021 run
PAK: 363/3CRR: 3.55 
Younis Khan169 (270b 18x4)
Misbah-ul-Haq42 (97b 6x4)
Jehan Mubarak 3-0-10-0
Dhammika Prasad 20-2-65-1
101.6
Mubarak to Younis, no run

slides on with the arm on middle, kept out

101.5
Mubarak to Younis, no run

Mubarak gives this more air outside off, defended

101.4
Mubarak to Younis, no run

flighted and on middle and leg, defended back to the bowler

101.3
Mubarak to Younis, no run

leg-stump ball, turned to midwicket

jahangir: "15 to win and younis is 20 runs behind javed miandad"

101.2
1
Mubarak to Misbah, 1 run

darted on/outside leg, punched through midwicket

101.1
Mubarak to Misbah, no run

flat and on middle from round the stumps, defended to short leg

Jehan Mubarak..

end of over 10113 runs
PAK: 362/3CRR: 3.58 
Younis Khan169 (266b 18x4)
Misbah-ul-Haq41 (95b 6x4)
Dhammika Prasad 20-2-65-1
Tharindu Kaushal 30-1-140-1
100.6
4
Prasad to Younis, FOUR runs

this was not bludgeoned. Just classy timing. Too full and on middle, Younis eases forward and drives it to the left of mid-on, whistles away to the boundary

100.5
1
Prasad to Misbah, 1 run

fractionally short and outside off, forcing stroke to sweeper cover

100.4
4
Prasad to Misbah, FOUR runs

cracker of a strike from Misbah. Half-volley outside off, Misbah winds up and bludgeons it through mid-off

100.3
Prasad to Misbah, no run

fullish and on off, Misbah gets forward and pushes it to mid-on

100.2
4
Prasad to Misbah, FOUR runs

dug in shortish and outside off, Misbah leans back and punches it behind point for four

100.1
Prasad to Misbah, no run

low full toss on off, bunted to mid-off

end of over 1008 runs
PAK: 349/3CRR: 3.49 
Younis Khan165 (265b 17x4)
Misbah-ul-Haq32 (90b 4x4)
Tharindu Kaushal 30-1-140-1
Dhammika Prasad 19-2-52-1
99.6
Kaushal to Younis, no run

quick offbreak, Younis goes back and turns it to short leg

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