Pakistan managed to take the lead on the second day of the second test match in Colombo before relentless rain interrupted play after only ten overs. Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam displayed impressive batting skills during their unbeaten partnership of 57 runs, helping Pakistan surpass Sri Lanka’s total and move 12 runs ahead with eight wickets still in hand.
In the limited play before the rain, Shafique and Babar showed excellent composure at the crease, with no significant threats to their wickets. Babar, in particular, had a cautious start against Prabath Jayasuriya, facing 17 dot deliveries initially. However, as he settled in, Babar began taking calculated risks against the left-arm spinner, eventually hitting a powerful six over the extra-cover boundary.
Meanwhile, Shafique was proficient against the seamers, executing a controlled hook shot against Dilshan Madushanka for the first boundary of the day. Babar also contributed by striking two elegant boundaries through the off-side against Asitha Fernando, although one of them might have been unintentional.
As the rain set in, the ground staff rushed to cover the pitch and boundary areas, but the intensity of the downpour and the water pooling on the covers made it challenging to resume play. Eventually, with no improvement in weather conditions, the decision was taken to call off play for the day around 3.15pm (Colombo time).
Despite the rain, Pakistan’s batsmen seemed to be finding their rhythm and posed a considerable threat to Sri Lanka’s hopes of gaining an advantage in the test match. However, with the weather playing spoilsport, the outcome of the match remained uncertain, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the resumption of play on the following day.
