Salaam Shakeel

Rex Clementine
in Galle

Sri Lanka has seen some special Pakistan batting talents over the years. When we were kids, there was the street fighter Javed Miandad. When we were in our youth there was Inzamam-ul-Haq, who murdered Murali. Then when we were adults, we enjoyed the style of Mohammad Yousuf and gritty work of Younis Khan. But none of them were able to score a double hundred in Sri Lanka.

What was not possible by some of the stalwarts of Pakistani cricket, a little-known rookie achieved in Galle yesterday as Saud Shakeel slammed an unbeaten 208 to put Pakistan in a commanding position in the first Test match.

Since making his Test debut eight months ago, Shakeel has been a superb find for Pakistan. This is his sixth Test match and in such a short span, he has slammed a double hundred, a hundred and five half-centuries.

Pakistan had been reduced to 101 for five and were trailing Sri Lanka by 211 runs and at that stage, a lead would have been the last thing in their minds. But Shakeel turned the game on its head.

He added 177 runs for the sixth wicket with Agha Salman, a record for Pakistan in Tests against Sri Lanka improving on the 173-run stand between Asad Shafique and Sarfraz Ahmed in 2017 in Dubai.

Ramesh Mendis provided the breakthrough in the rain affected morning sessions as Salman was stumped but Shakeel together with the tail put the game beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.

For someone who has played less than a handful of Test matches, you’ve got to admire Shakeel’s temperament. He had put away the loose balls with clever use of feet when Salman was around as they were scoring at almost five runs an over. But after Sri Lanka managed the breakthrough, the left-hander changed gears and was farming the strike from the tail and in the process was involved in two match defining partnerships.

Shakeel added 52 runs for the seventh wicket with Nauman Ali (25) and then was involved in a 94-run stand with Naseem Shah (6).

There were few nervous moments as Naseem was dismissed with Shakeel on 194 when last man Abrar Ahmed walked in. But cricketing gods weren’t going to deny him a well-deserved milestone and Shakeel reached his double hundred cutting Dhananjaya de Silva for four behind square bisecting the fielders.

This knock had everything. Gritty batsmanship, exuberance and smart work and we are certain to hear a lot more about this prodigious talent. With a first innings lead of 149 thanks to Shakeel and the tail, Pakistan are in the driver’s seat. But in Galle, funnier things have happened. This indeed is a funny game.