Younis Khan and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq put Pakistan in a real position of strength after day 2 of the first Test in Abu Dhabi against Sri Lanka.
Where to Watch Live
Day 3 of the first Test match is scheduled for an 11.30 am IST start and 11 am PST start, with live coverage on Sony Six and Geo Super in India and Pakistan respectively. While there is no official live streaming option available in India, Pakistan viewers can catch the action free online HERE. Viewers in Sri Lanka can live stream the match HERE, while Africa viewers can do the same HERE. Live streaming option in the US is available HERE.
Both the batting veterans cracked centuries, as Pakistan ended day two on 327 for four from 109 overs, for a lead of 123 over Sri Lanka, who folded for a mere 204 in their first innings on the opening day.
Pakistan will look to bat for as long as possible now, to bulge their lead slowly but surely, before possibly putting their foot on the accelerator if things go according to plan on Day 3 morning.
"If we bat for another one hour tomorrow [Thursday] and add as many runs as possible, it will be good because Sri Lanka has some good players and I remember the last time we played them here [in 2011], Kumar Sangakkara got a double hundred in the second innings [to pull the match to a draw]," said Younis, who equalled Javed Miandad's on the hundred list with his 23rd. "The first hour will be crucial as the ball is still hard so if we play one hour tomorrow we should add some more runs."
Speaking of the 218-run partnership, which could prove to be the game-breaker in the end, Younis said both players talked a lot in the middle, and understood the importance of staying at the crease for as long as possible, after Pakistan were in a spot of bother on 83 for three.
"I tried to motivate Misbah and he tried to do the same to me, saying that we must stay at the wicket, and that's how our partnership developed and gave the team a good position," Younis added. "He is a very senior player and he has been playing well so I tried to give him company."
Sri Lanka might have been staring at a much smaller deficit, had they gone in for a review when Misbah, who was also dropped by Mahela Jayawardene, was struck on the pads by Suranga Lakmal with the batsman still 24 runs away from a hundred.
Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford admitted his side had erred by choosing the side of caution. "I was happy with the performance of our young fast bowlers who stuck to the task and just kept working hard, but I thought they were a little bit unlucky," Ford said. "There was a review that we should have asked for, but everybody on the field thought since it was a new ball, there would be enough bounce to take it over the stumps, in that particular delivery.
"Unfortunately we didn't take that review."
