Sri Lanka will look to turn the screws on Pakistan on Day 3 after taking control of the second Test match in Dubai on Thursday.
Where to Watch Live
The match is scheduled for an 11.30 am IST and 11am PST start with live coverage on Sony Six in India and Geo Super in Pakistan. There is no official live streaming option available in India, but Pakistan viewers can watch the match online free HERE. Catch the action in Africa HERE, while US viewers can live stream the match HERE. Sri Lanka viewers can watch the match via live streaming HERE.
Mahela Jaywardene made a welcome return to form, scoring a typically brilliant unbeaten 106, that too despite splitting his webbing on the field on the first day, to take Sri Lanka to 318 for four, a lead of 153 runs, at the close of play on Day 2. Angelo Mathews, in the batting form of his life in Test cricket, is giving Jayawardene company on 42, after Kaushal Silva fell five runs short of what would have been a deserved hundred.
"Initially I knew that I can't force anything," Jayawardene said of having to bat with an injured top hand. "I had to use the pace of the Pakistani bowlers, so I wasn't really trying to drive the ball.
"I was just punching gaps and rotating the strike, but anything to cut I was comfortable with using the pace, so I was waiting for those kinds of deliveries. Probably the limitations helped me because I had to change my whole game plan today according to that.
"Even with Saeed Ajmal I couldn't sweep him that well, because the wrist would twist. I didn't sweep him that much in this match."
The Pakistan bowlers lacked a bit of discipline with the red cherry and bowling coach Mohammed Akram acknowledged the need for patience even if the pitch might have played better for the batsmen on the second day, with the wicket expected to improve on Day 3.
"When you are bundled out for 165, there is a bit of frustration [among bowlers], and you look to pick up wickets," Akram said on Thursday. "That's the time when you really need to be disciplined. At times we bowled too many loose balls as well but the effort was there as the bowlers still ran in with their heads up.
"We lacked disciplined in the bowling. You can't offer a loose ball early in the day and let the batsman get set. The pitch is far different today to what it was on the first day so had we batted sensibly and survived, it could have been a different scenario for us.
"Our bowling attack is still the best in the world. But what we are lacking is the experience and if you add the number of matches the seamers have played it is hardly 17 or 18. Unless these bowlers play, they won't thrive."
Ajmal went wicketless in 27 overs, and Akram sees no cause for concern over the off-spinner's lack of penetration against Sri Lanka.
"Ajmal is our main bowler, but there was a lot of grass on the pitch and hence not much purchase for Ajmal," Akram added. "The seamers had to do the job. We need not panic and there is no reason to be frustrated if he isn't picking wickets. It happens and you can't judge him on these two matches as he has done a lot in the past."
Lineups: Pakistan: Khurram Manzoor, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammed Hafeez, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Hap (capt), Asad Shafiz, Sarfraz Ahmed, Bilawal Bhatti, Saeed Ajmal, Rahat Ali, Junaid Khan.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Rangana Herath, Shaminda Eranga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep.
