Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Sharjah, 5th day

Pakistan take series after rain-hit draw

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran

November 7, 2011

Taufeeq Umar

Pakistan extended their impressive run in Test cricket since the spot-fixing scandal deprived them of three first-choice players, securing a series win over Sri Lanka on a rare rain-hit day in Sharjah. Fittingly Misbah-ul Haq, the man who took over as captain and provided a backbone to a team that was in disarray last year, remained unbeaten to ensure there were no implosions and confirm the draw.

The result extends Sri Lanka's winless streak to 14 Tests, again highlighting their struggle to come to terms to the loss of the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan. They betrayed a lack of killer instinct by batting on the final day of this must-win Test, despite a three-hour rain delay. They were 237 ahead by stumps on the fourth day, a sufficiently large lead in a match where the run-rate has been around two-and-a-half over the first four days, but they weren't confident enough to declare at the start of play when 67.2 overs remained. Instead of going all out for a victory, they inexplicably batted out four overs before calling an end to their innings.

Pakistan needed a high-octane start if they were to make a serious tilt at the target of 255 in 61 overs. Their openers began briskly, with Mohammad Hafeez slashing a couple of fours past point early on. Pakistan were 20 for 0 midway through the fifth over, but their momentum was taken away by a direct hit from substitute Lahiru Thirimanne at midwicket, which caught Hafeez short.

Taufeeq Umar and the usually watchful Azhar Ali decided to shut shop, and Pakistan focused on playing out the overs for a draw. With the Sri Lankan spinners getting some turn, Pakistan scratched out six runs in a 11-over spell. Rangana Herath and Suraj Randiv kept the batsmen on a leash, and Sri Lanka kept a clutch of close-in fielders as they hunted for quick wickets.

Sri Lanka's strikes came from contrasting deliveries. A ripper from Herath accounted for Azhar, trapped lbw after the ball drifted in before curling sharply away, while Younis Khan was dismissed by a pedestrian length delivery that he punched to the mid-on fielder.

Still, Taufeeq firmly resisted and Misbah showed off his defensive mastery once again to drain Sri Lanka's hopes. Their 15-over blockade nearly put the match to bed, but Sri Lanka perked up when Taufeeq irresponsibly slapped a short Randiv ball to Kumar Sangakkara at point. The spinners persevered and should have had another breakthrough when Asad Shafiq nicked to the keeper but the umpire failed to spot it.

It was comfortable for Pakistan in the end, with Shafiq and Misbah stonewalling 16 overs in the fading light. Misbah even shared a light-hearted moment with Sangakkara as the match wound down, jokingly imitating a left-hand batsman. With Pakistan winning their first series over a better-ranked team since 2005, Misbah could well afford to smile.

Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Posted by

M Usman Arshad

Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq and Taufeeq Umar celebrate a wicket

Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq and Taufeeq Umar celebrate a wicket, Ireland v Pakistan, 1st ODI, Belfast, May 28, 2011©AFP

Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq and Taufeeq Umar celebrate a wicket, Ireland v Pakistan, 1st ODI, Belfast, May 28, 2011©AFP

Post by

M Usman Arshad

Taufeeq Umar is run out

Taufeeq Umar is run out, West Indies v Pakistan, 2nd Test, St Kitts, 4th day, May 23, 2011

©Associated Press

Taufeeq Umar is run out, West Indies v Pakistan, 2nd Test, St Kitts, 4th day, May 23, 2011©Associated Press

Taufeeq Umar completed his fifth Test ton as Pakistan built their lead on the fourth morning in St Kitts

Taufeeq Umar completed his fifth Test ton as Pakistan built their lead on the fourth morning in St Kitts 

© AFP

Taufeeq Umar completed his fifth Test ton as Pakistan built their lead on the fourth morning in St Kitts © AFP

Taufeeq Umar played some accomplished straight drives on the way to his unbeaten 97

Taufeeq Umar played some accomplished straight drives on the way to his unbeaten 97

 © Associated Press

Taufeeq Umar played some accomplished straight drives on the way to his unbeaten 97 © Associated Press

Taufeeq Umar puts sloppy West Indies to sword

West Indies v Pakistan, 2nd Test, St Kitts, 3rd day

Taufeeq puts sloppy West Indies to sword

Ably assisted by the West Indies, Taufeeq Umar worked Pakistan into a formidable position on the third day of the second Test at Basseterre. Taufeeq's unbeaten 97 helped the tourists close on 203 for 3, 251 runs ahead already and well-placed for a series-levelling win.

Taufeeq Umar

Having fought back through their tail in the morning, West Indies missed numerous chances - dropping Umar twice by the time he was 13 and once on 94 - in a miserable display in the field. They also took a wicket off a no-ball in the very first over of the innings. The early chances were crucial because until this morning, Taufeeq's batting all series had a constipated feel to it, itching to break free mentally, yet physically unable. When he edged Kemar Roach in the third over only for Darren Bravo to shell a regulation chance at first slip, something in him twitched: he'd stared death in the face and not blinked. A little freedom crept in, disbelievingly at first as he drove Roach next ball down the ground.

In Roach's next over, he cut and drove him again but immediately after, he looked death in the face a second time, Darren Sammy dropping him at second slip. Unburdened and believing now, Umar tore into the most forceful batting from either side all series. Three boundaries came from Roach's next over, two drives before he fairly ripped into a cut. Sammy arrived only to be driven through extra cover. Every shot for a while was firmly struck, heavy with intent before a first opening fifty stand was brought up as lunch approached; unsurprisingly it was another straight drive that brought it.

Hafeez, the fortunate recipient of the Roach no-ball, was a keen partner, though after lunch the tempo dropped drastically. Taufeeq decided now was the time to cash in. For the rest of the day he was unrecognizable from the morning stud, a dour old man of an innings, of nudges, glides, bunts and sturdy defence.

He brought up fifty quietly a little before the day's halfway mark and hit not a single boundary after lunch until half an hour before the close. Typically, it was a straight drive. Thereafter he roused in a bid to reach a first hundred in nearly eight years before the close, driving Rampaul again before being dropped - athletically - by Lendl Simmons at mid-off. A few balls later he narrowly avoided being run out.

But across the afternoon there was relief from Azhar Ali in a pleasant and surprisingly fluent innings. He gave one chance at slip, but looked in little trouble, driving and cutting well in a 76-run stand. More significantly, he rotated strike, which he doesn't often do. Particularly useful in this endeavour was the paddle sweep he employed regularly against the spinners. Soon after tea he reached an inevitable eighth Test fifty but just when a first, breakthrough hundred looked equally inevitable, he fell, cutting to slip.

Both the wicket-taker Devendra Bishoo and the West Indies in general deserved that, for they sharpened up after lunch. Sammy bowled those inswingers Pakistan are unable to comprehend - they come in - to which Hafeez fell; another good start wasted. Bishoo controlled the other end in a good, long spell through an equally long afternoon, unlucky not to have Umar stumped and Ali caught earlier. The very real threat of a big-turning, big-leaping jaffa remained throughout.

Roach of the wretched luck also returned for an energetic spell after tea in which Asad Shafiq was sent back. Ultimately, West Indies did well to keep Pakistan down to just 147 runs after lunch, not only keeping the potential target down, but taking time out.

Still it didn't mask the dominance of Pakistan's position or how the sterling morning work of Rampaul and Roach was wasted. Late yesterday, the pair had landed some heavy blows; not so this morning. From the offset they looked secure and the strokes were accomplished, none of the impatience of the top-order of both sides.

The first boundary came as Roach guided Abdur Rehman through slips and in the next over, he cut Tanvir Ahmed for a far more authoritative boundary. An over later, as Rampaul cut Hafeez for two, the fifty partnership came up.

Eventually it was left to Hafeez - who has at times looked Pakistan's most threatening bowler - to break through, deceiving Roach in flight. Soon Bishoo gave Umar at slip his fourth catch of the innings. How West Indies must have wished later he was standing in their cordon to himself.

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of ESPNcricinfo

Taufeeq Umar bats in the nets

Taufeeq Umar bats in the nets, Lahore, April 12, 2011 

© AFP

Taufeeq Umar bats in the nets, Lahore, April 12, 2011 © AFP