Watch: An alert Babar Azam took a one-handed stunner at slips, dismissing Angelo Mathews on day four of the Galle Test match to hand his team the advantage.
Babar Azam fell for 13 in Pakistan’s first innings. At 101-5, up against Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 312, Pakistan seemed to be in a spot of bother, but a 277-run stand between Agha Salman and Saud Shakeel helped the team to 461.
Trailing by 149 runs, Sri Lanka started off cautiously and piled on 42 for the first wicket. They lost two more scalps by lunch, with Angelo Mathews being dismissed at the stroke of the break, to Noman Ali.
Mathews came forward to defend a good-length around the off stump. However, the ball spun away vividly, took Mathews’ edge, and flew to the left of Babar at first slip.
With little reaction time, Babar needed excellent reflexes to grab the ball, which is exactly what he displayed. Mathews fell for a 21-ball seven, with Sri Lanka ending the first session on Wednesday at 94-3, trailing by 55 runs.
Watch the dismissal here:
Babar Azam with another world class catch, you just cannot keep him out of the game 🔥 #SLvPAK https://t.co/qciI4dWDH1
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 19, 2023
