16-year old Naseem Shah youngest bowler to take 5-wicket haul

Pakistan wrapped up the second Test match in just 16 balls claiming the last three Sri Lankan wickets without conceding a run on the fifth morning to register a comprehensive 263-run win at Karachi on Monday. When overnight centurion Oshada Fernando edged Yasir Shah to Asad Shafiq, Naseem Shah did the rest byaccounting for Lasith Embuldeniya and Vishwa Fernando in that order to mark Pakistan’s momentous comeback  to Test cricket after a decade in hibernation when the game came toa standstill following the aborted terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009 with the rest of the Test playing countries boycotting tours.

The 1-0 series triumph was the perfect comeback scripting for a cricket crazy nation starved of test cricket so long. Finishing off what Pakistan’s top order four batsmen fashioned  was 16-year old paceman Naseem Shah who became the youngest player to take a 5-wicket haul. Opening batsman Abid Ali was adjudged Player of the Match and Player of the Series.

The series further enhanced the friendly ties between the two neighbouring Asian countries where significantly the revival of cricket in Pakistan was due to the magnanimous gesture by Sri Lanka in consenting to send its cricketers to play in Pakistan.

CHIEF SCORES:

Pakistan 191 (Shafiq 63, Babar 60, Kumara 4/49, Embuldeniya 4/71) and 555 for 3 decl. (Abid 174, Masood 135, Azhar 118, Babar 100 n.o.)

Sri Lanka 271 (Chandimal 74, Afridi 5/77, Abbas 4/55) and 212 (Oshada 102, Naseem 5/31)
By Srian Obeyesekere