Younis Khan notched a spectacular double hundred to help Pakistan avoid following on against Sri Lanka as the first Test headed towards a draw here on Tuesday
Younis Khan notched a spectacular double hundred to help Pakistan avoid following on against Sri Lanka as the first Test headed towards a draw here on Tuesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The new captain was unbeaten on 243 for his second Test double hundred which helped Pakistan move to 453-4 at tea on the fourth day, in reply to the tourists' first-innings score of 644-7 declared.
Younis, 31, matched Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene who scored 240 in Sri Lanka's mammoth total -- the first instance in Test cricket's 132-year history when rival captains scored double hundreds in the same match.
The other unbeaten batsman at the break was Faisal Iqbal on 27.
Younis batted solidly and with resolve to save Pakistan from a possible follow-on, completing 5,000 runs in his 59th Test when he reached 184. He becomes the sixth Pakistani batsmen to achieve the tally.
The list is headed by Javed Miandad and followed by Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Salim Malik and Zaheer Abbas.
Younis drove paceman Dilhara Fernando towards covers for three to reach his double hundred. It took him 528 minutes and 385 balls to reach the mark.
As Younis blocked one end, Sri Lanka managed only one wicket in the first session when Fernando trapped Misbah-ul-Haq in the penultimate over before lunch for 42.
Pakistan were in a tight corner when they resumed at 296-3 but Younis and Haq gave no chances to the Sri Lankan attack, adding 130 runs for the fourth wicket.
Younis, 149 overnight, moved to 150 in the second over with a single and remained as calm as he was throughout Monday.
He has so far hit 24 boundaries and two sixes during his ten hours and eleven minutes stay at the crease.
Haq, who scored successive hundreds in Pakistan's last two Tests -- against India in 2007 -- also grew in confidence, lofting Ajantha Mendis for a six to bring Pakistan within 100 runs of the follow-on target.
Veteran Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who got his only wicket on Sunday, and new sensation Mendis, who took his solitary wicket on Monday, failed to create any problems for the batsmen.
The second Test will start in Lahore from Sunday.
u00a0
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
