Shafiq, Sarfraz revive Pakistan

Dubai : Chasing 136 at Abu Dhabi, Pakistan lost what seemed to be an un-losable Test. Having been 52 for 5 in the pursuit of 317, they have now left themselves a chance of winning what appeared to be an unwinnable one. In a series that has been enlivened by a flood of dramatic twists, the final session of day four saw another one: an unbroken partnership of 146 between Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed.

Sri Lanka still have five wickets to get. Pakistan 119 runs to square the series. If the visitors break through, it will be the first time since 2010 that Pakistan have been defeated in the UAE. If Pakistan get across the line, it would be their third 300-plus chase against Sri Lanka in four years.

Late in the twilight session, Dilruwan Perera had claimed three wickets inside 10 deliveries, to spark elation in the Sri Lanka camp and despondence in Pakistan’s, but following a wicketless night session, it was Pakistan who appeared the more hopeful outfit. Sarfraz and Shafiq had navigated an immensely difficult period more-or-less perfectly.

Sarfraz had been the more proactive batsman early on in the partnership, nailing a flat sweep off Herath to the backward square leg fence, before carving Dilruwan through point a few overs later, but when Shafiq had played himself in, he quickly became the dominant figure in the stand.

Off his 26th ball, Shafiq waltzed down the pitch to launch his first boundary, hitting Dilruwan over mid-on. Almost immediately, the singles and twos began to flow. Midwicket, fine leg, long-on - these areas were all mined for valuable runs, and the cover boundary proved productive for Shafiq as well.

Sarfraz stayed largely leg side, hitting only two further boundaries in the day, after those early momentum-shifting blows against the spinners. As ever, he flitted around on the crease, even batting way outside leg stump to one delivery, and used the sweep to fruitful effect. At times in this series, Sarfraz has been overtaken by reckless impulses. Not in this innings. Like Shafiq, he was opportunistic, but calculated. They ran quick singles into the infield, but Sarfraz repeatedly sent Shafiq back when he felt a run was too risky.

Towards the second half of the session, Dinesh Chandimal spread his fields, and the pair progressed with increasing ease. 

Between the 50th and 65th overs of the innings, for example, they scored 70 risk-free runs. Shafiq moved past fifty with a cut off Suranga Lakmal.