Pakistan leads by 139 after Babar and Agha fall in Sri Lanka fielding trap on 5th day of 1st test

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan's top-order batters stumbled against Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis’ innovative field setting to reach 151-5 on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test on Friday.

Skipper Babar Azam, who scored 34, and Salman Ali Agha made 13 before both fell into the Mendis’ fielding trap and offered catches at short backward square leg on a second successive overcast morning at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan, which curtailed the Sri Lankan first-innings lead to 12 on the back of inspiring seven-wicket debut by fast bowler Saqib Khan, led by 139 runs at lunch with two sessions remaining in the opening test of the two-match series.

Saud Shakeel took a nasty blow on the shoulder off Dilshan Madushanka’s short ball, but dug in for almost the entire first session and was unbeaten on a patient 23 with wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori not out on 7.

Shakeel successfully overturned an lbw decision against him early in the innings and has faced 85 balls on a wicket where seamers were getting assistance under overcast conditions.

Resuming on 57-1, Pakistan had a disastrous start to the final day when both the overnight batters Azan Awais and Mohammad Taha were dismissed without adding to their scores of 22 and 24 respectively.

Awais flashed hard at Lahiru Kumara’s (1-42) first ball and was caught at slips while Asitha Fernando’s (2-20) delivery seamed enough to get the outside edge of Taha’s bat from the other end.

Babar added 50 runs with defiant Shakeel and struck six boundaries with his trademark cover drives but yet again couldn’t convert a good start into big innings as his drought of century in test matches was extended to 42 innings.

Babar also survived two chances. Kamindu Mendis grassed a regulation chance in the second slip when Babar was on 22 and then had a close lbw call went in his favor on an umpire's call before he fell into Mendis' trap and gave a simple catch to Lahiru Udara.

There was a 20-minute stoppage due to bad light, but on resumption Milan Rathnayake (2-32) executed the fielding plan with another short ball to Agha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara brought up a spectacular catch before Shakeel and Ghori played out a tense half-hour before lunch.

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