Galle, Sri Lanka (AP) — Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi marked his return to Test cricket with a three-wicket haul as Sri Lanka broke for lunch at 65 for four on the first day of a weather-damaged Test against Pakistan on Sunday. .
Pakistan’s two fast bowlers, Afridi and Nazeem Shah, made it difficult for the Sri Lankan batsmen, with Naseem unfortunately unable to take more than one wicket.
Afridi became the 19th Pakistani bowler and the fourth fastest from his country to reach the 100-wicket milestone when wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed took a diving catch and opener Nishan Madushka (4).
Until March, Sri Lanka had competed in the World Test Championship final. That prospect fueled its appetite to get there in the new cycle.
Ravichandran Ashwin took West Indies wickets on a generous turning pitch to lead India to an innings and 141-run victory in three days of the first Test in Dominica.
England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has announced his availability for the fourth Ashes Test despite suffering an injury in his team’s win over Australia in the third match of the series last week.
A year ago at the same ground, Afridi injured his right knee while diving for a boundary and was caught with 99 wickets. The wait ended in the third over of the match to the 23-year-old’s delight.
Heavy rain forced the players off the field within 30 minutes, losing 87 minutes and extending lunch by an hour.
After play resumed, Afridi claimed his second wicket when Kusal Mendis edged a ball to second slip for 12 runs. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne was the third victim of the left-arm pacer when he was caught on the leg side for 29 runs.
In the next over, Dinesh Chandimal returned Naseem to first slip after scoring just one run, again without much leg movement, sending Sri Lanka deep into trouble.
Angelo Mathews had a bit of a panic and came into the second session with Dhananjaya de Silva on 12 for seven.
It is the first of a two-Test series, with the second Test starting on July 24 in Colombo.
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