Pakistan whitewashed Sri Lanka 2-0 in the Test series, recording their biggest-ever away Test victory in the process – here are the player rankings for the visiting team.
Pakistan were unchanged for the two Tests, but Mohammad Rizwan walked in as wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed’s concussion substitute midway through the second Test.
Abdullah Shafique: 7.5/10
228 runs @ 76, HS: 201
Shafique overturned his poor scores in the first Test with a brilliant double ton in the second. On a wicket with help for the slower bowlers, Shafique was unperturbed as he scored at a strike rate of 61.66, leading the initiative as Pakistan look to bat with more intent.
Imam-ul-Haq: 4/10
57 runs @ 28.5, HS: 50*
Imam was one of the few batters to miss out from the visiting team but his unbeaten 50 in the first Test helped Pakistan chase down 133 after they had been reduced to 79-4 at one stage.
Shan Masood: 6.5/10
97 runs @ 32.33, HS: 51
It’s not the number of runs that he scored but the manner in which he got them. Though he made only 39 in the first innings at Galle, it came off only 30 balls. He led the way with the ‘PakBall’ approach, and carried forward in the second Test too, making 51 in 47.
Babar Azam: 4/10
76 runs @ 25.33, HS: 39
The batter had little to do in the series as he was dismissed by Prabath Jayasuriya for the sixth successive time in the format. But he was exceptional on the field, be it plucking out one-handed stunners, or with his captaincy. His tactic of not declaring overnight on day two so his team could get the choice of rollers early on Thursday (July 27) was applaudable.
Saud Shakeel: 10/10
295 runs @ 147.50, HS: 208*
Shakeel continues his excellent start in Test cricket, registering one fifty and a double ton along with 30 in the three innings. He never let the strike rate fall in any of the knocks, with the highlight being his 38-ball 30 in the run chase at Galle, which was made at a rate of nearing 79.
Sarfaraz Ahmed: 2/10
32 runs @ 16, HS: 17
Sarfaraz had little to contribute in the series, and had to walk away after being concussed when he was batting on 14 in Colombo.
Agha Salman: 9/10
221 runs @ 221, HS: 132*
Salman remained unbeaten twice out of three innings. He added important runs down the order in the first innings at Galle, after his team had fallen to 101-5 in pursuit of Sri Lanka’s score of 312. His 177-run stand with Shakeel, in which he made 83, helped Pakistan get back in the game, and eventually win the clash. He scored 132* in 154 balls at Cololmbo. He also picked up three wickets.
Mohammad Rizwan: 9/10
50 runs, HS: 50*
Walking out to bat after the injury to Sarfaraz, Rizwan – who has been sidelined in the last three Tests his side has played – immediately got into the groove, batting with intent as per the instructions. He scored at a rate of 75 to register his first 50 in 13 innings.
Noman Ali: 8/10
10 wickets @ 20, BBI: 7-70
Noman was expensive in the first innings of the first Test, going for 3.50 runs an over, and was the only bowler to go wicketless. He was expensive in the next innings too, but managed to pick up three wickets before bagging a seven-for in Sri Lanka’s second innings at Colombo.
Shaheen Afridi: 4/10
6 wickets @ 37.33, BBI: 3-86
Shaheen was arguably the least effective bowler from Pakistan in the series. Playing his first Test in a year, he was also the most expensive, and took 60 balls to pick up a wicket.
Naseem Shah: 8/10
9 wickets @ 23, BBI: 3-41
Naseem’s scintillating spell of reverse swing after tea on day three has been described as “one of the best” ever. He walked away with three wickets in the game and has forced the cricketing world to sit up and take notice once more.
Abrar Ahmed: 8/10
10 wickets @ 23.90, BBI: 4-69
The joint-highest wicket-taker in the series, there is little surprise that Abrar excelled on wickets that generally kept slow throughout.
