Cricket Highlights, 04 Mar: IND vs SL (1st Test – Day 1), PAK vs AUS (1st Test – Day 1)

The 1st day of the 1st Test between India and Sri Lanka, and the 1st day of the 1st Test between Pakistan and Australia rolled on the field yesterday. Continue reading the article to know the interesting happenings of the day’s games.

IND vs SL (1st Test – Day 1)

Hosts India has scored 357 runs for the loss of six wickets at the end of the first day of the first Test of the 2-match Test series against visiting Sri Lanka in Mohali. Ravindra Jadeja is unbeaten on 45 and Ravichandran Ashwin on 10 at the end of the day. However, in the 100th match of his Test career, Virat Kohli was dismissed for 45 runs.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal put on a 52-run stand in the opening pair. Lahiru Kumara broke the 52-run stand by sending off Rohit (29) to the dressing room. Agarwal (33) then got lbw in the delivery of Lasith Embuldeniya. Virat Kohli and Hanuma Vihari put on 90 runs for the third wicket partnership. Kohli (45) was bowled by Embuldeniya at the doorstep of the half-century.

Vihari (58) also returned to the pavilion after three overs. After that, when Shreyas Iyer (27) returned to the dressing room, India lost 5 wickets for 228 runs and was under some pressure. From there, Rishabh Pant and Jadeja’s 104-run stand for the sixth wicket brought the hosts back into the match. Wicketkeeper-batsman Pant continued to bat in ODI style.

But Pant could not save his wicket even after defending Suranga Lakmal’s great delivery. He returned to the pavilion after playing a devastating innings of 96 off 97 balls with 9 fours and 4 sixes. Embuldeniya took two wickets for Sri Lanka. Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Dhananjaya de Silva took one wicket each for the visiting team.

Scoreboard:
India (1st Innings) – 357/6 (85.0)

PAK vs AUS (1st Test – Day 1)

After almost 24 years, Pakistan is playing against Australia at home from yesterday. Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has scored a century against Australia on the first day of the first match of the 3-match Test series.  With his century, Pakistan scored 245 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in 90 overs at the end of the first day. Imam, who scored the first century of his Test career, is unbeaten on 132 runs.

Pakistan openers, Abdullah Shafique and Imam gave the team a great start after winning the toss and choosing to bat first at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The duo put up a pair of 105 runs in 34 overs. However, just before the lunch break, spinner Nathan Lyon sent Shafique (44) back to the dressing room and brought the first wicket for Australia. After losing his opening teammate, Imam started to move the team’s run wheel with Azhar Ali.

Pakistan scored 171 runs till the tea break. Imam picked up the first century of his Test career by hitting a boundary in the third delivery of the 66th off Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc. Imam had to play 200 balls to score his first century in the 12th match of his career. At the end of the day, he was unbeaten on 132 off 271 balls, he hit 15 fours and 2 sixes to make the score. On the other end, Azhar is unbeaten on 64 off 165 balls.

Scoreboard:
Pakistan (1st Innings) – 245/1 (90.0)