SL vs PAK | 2nd Test | Fifties from Dinesh Chandimal and Oshada Fernando hand Sri Lanka advantage on Day 1

The second and final Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan saw the hosts take control on Day 1 at the Galle International Stadium.

Oshada Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal once again stood in defiance as the home side piled on runs against a Shaheen Shah Afridi-less Pakistan attack.

At stumps, the hosts were on 315  for 6 with Niroshan Dickwella and Dunith Wellalage batting on 42* and 6*, respectively.

ALSO READ: Cricket Scotland Board resigns with immediate effect

The Fernando show in the first session

Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and elected to bat first. He and Fernando provided the Lions with a perfect start.

Fernando continued his fine run with the bat, reaching his sixth fifty during a 92-run stand with Karunaratne.

With lunch just a few overs away, Mohammad Nawaz induced an edge from Fernando, which saw him caught out on 50.

Kusal Mendis was unfortunate to get run-out, having backed off too much at the non-strikers' end.

Experience steadies ship 

Playing his 100th Test, Angelo Mathews joined Karunaratne in the post-lunch session.

Yasir Shah had the Lankan captain caught out by Naseem Shah, while attempting a reverse sweep for a sturdy 40.

Chandimal joined Mathews as the duo steadied the ship.

They added 61 runs in no time, with Sri Lanka nearing 200 as the teams approached the tea break.

However, Mathews did get a reprieve with Babar Azam spilling a dolly at the extra cover position.

Cat and Mouse session

Mathews (42) became the first casualty of the final session.

Nauman Ali tempted the right-hander to play on the rise, to which the batter obliged, resulting in an edge that ended the 75-run partnership.

Unaffected, Chandimal recorded his third half-century of the series and 24th overall.

Dhananjaya de Silva, along with Chandimal, took the attack to the Pakistani bowlers, adding 50 runs in 40 balls.

Their partnership (63) ended with Chandimal (80) throwing his wicket away while trying to slog Nawaz for a boundary, handing the left-arm bowler his second scalp of the day.

De Silva kept the flow of runs going, with new batsman Dickwella settling in.

They added 32 runs for the sixth wicket before Naseem rattled de Silva’s woodwork for 33.

Naseem could have had his second wicket, but Azam dropped Dickwella standing in second slip; his second missed opportunity of the day.

Dickwella and Wellalage took Sri Lanka to safety, adding 25 runs, as umpires called for early stumps due to bad light.

Earlier, Pakistan made two changes to their winning side from the first Test, bringing in Fawad Alam, and Nauman Ali.

As expected, Sri Lanka handed the 19-year-old Wellalage his first Test cap.

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka 315 for 6 (in 86 overs) 

Oshada Fernando 50, Dinesh Chandimal 80; 

Mohammad Nawaz 2/71 vs  Pakistan

 READ: Angelo Mathews looking to emulate James Anderson