Sri Lanka extends lead to 444 in 2nd test against Pakistan

Dhananjaya de Silva's unbeaten 84 helped Sri Lanka build a 444-run lead as it pushed to level the series against Pakistan, reaching 297-7 at lunch Wednesday in the second cricket test.

Pakistan would already need to set a world record to win this match, topping the West Indies' 418 against Australia in 2003 as the highest-ever successful fourth innings run chase.

But the Sri Lankans will be cautious about a declaration with three wickets in hand and five sessions remaining on the test, having witnessed Pakistan successfully chase down 342 runs in the first test to set a record at Galle.

Day 4 began with Sri Lanka leading by 323 runs with five wickets in hand and the overnight pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and de Silva extended their sixth-wicket stand to 126 runs. Karunaratne, who was pushed down to the middle order because of a back problem that restricted his fielding, posted his 31st test half-century and in the process became just the sixth Sri Lankan batter to score 6,000 career test runs. Vice-captain de Silva was the more dominant partner during the stand, hitting nine boundaries to reach his 11th test half-century.

The partnership was broken when Abdullah Shafique pulled off a good reflex catch at short leg to dismiss Karunaratne for 61 and give Nauman Ali his first wicket in the innings.

Pakistan also dismissed Dunith Wellalage (18) when he was caught behind attempting a reverse sweep. But Sri Lanka was well in control, with de Silva steady in his 143-ball innings and Ramesh Mendis unbeaten on eight at the interval. The series is being played against the backdrop of Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis since independence. There is a severe shortage of fuel, medicine and cooking gas and economic experts have warned of a pending food crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)