The decider

Few sides make a match of it after being bundled out for less than 150 in the opening innings of a Test match. Fewer still do it away from home. Pakistan nearly did it in the second Test match at Colombo in the on-going series against Sri Lanka. However, another late batting collapse prevented Pakistan from really testing a youthful Sri Lankan side on the fifth day, with rain and Yasir Shah threatening to halt the chase.

However, even an additional 100-150 runs might not have made the Colombo Test competitive on the last day considering that Pakistan were two bowlers short – Wahab Riaz out injured with a hairline fracture on the bowling hand and a conspicuously below-par Junaid Khan who made Mohammed Hafeez look like the more menacing opening bowler. With Wahab Riaz ruled out of the Test series, and Junaid Khan a shadow of his pre-injury self, Pakistan would need a herculean effort from the spinners – something they’re perfectly capable of.

Pakistan's hopes of winning the series rest on the wrist of Yasir Shah's right hand

The rest of the team’s mediocre performances didn’t stop Yasir Shah and Azhar Ali from making their mark in Colombo. Yasir took eight of the 13 wickets taken by Pakistan, while Azhar’s 117 in the second innings nearly pulled Pakistan level on Day 4. But that was that as far as any meaningful contribution by Pakistan in the match is concerned.

In addition to Junaid Khan, captain Misbahul Haq and Younis Khan, who played his 100^th Test at Colombo, have yet to contribute anything tangible in the series. If Pakistan are to challenge Sri Lanka in the final Test, Misbah and Younis need to be among the runs.

If Pakistan win the toss today and bat first, Sri Lanka have shown nerves in both run chases to give the visitors hope of defending any decent total on the final day. With the top seven expected to remain the same, Pakistan’s selection of fast bowlers would be interesting. Rahat Ali has been sent in as replacement, and with Imran Khan and Ehsan Adil waiting in the wings, Pakistan could have a new look pace attack, considering Junaid’s performances in the first couple of matches and the Test in Bangladesh.

Junaid Khan has spearheaded Pakistan’s pace attack in the post-spot fixing era, but he has probably been rushed into international cricket after a seven-month layoff. Wahab’s injury might yet see him play the final match.

In any case, Pakistan’s hopes of winning the series rest on the wrist of Yasir Shah’s right hand. His 17 wickets in the first two Tests have showcased a mix of guile, aggression and the orthodox art of leg-spin. If he can win the series for Pakistan, he will resoundingly announce his arrival at the biggest stage, as one of the finest spinners in the modern game.

Even so, for Yasir Shah to have a chance, the Pakistani batsmen need to fare a lot better than they did at Colombo. Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad took turns in looking good but not going on to make big scores in either innings. They need to give a solid start for Pakistani middle order to build on. As mentioned above, Misbah and Younis need to join the party. The first Test was won after decisive batting performances by Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, but it’s the two seniors – for so long the backbone of Pakistani batting in Tests – who need to bring their A game to the decider.

Asad and Sarfraz failed to back their respective match-winning performances from the first Test in Colombo, and it is precisely this ability to cash in on runs when you’re in form that separates great players from good ones. With Misbah and Younis approaching their curtain call, Azhar, Asad and Sarfraz need to replace them as reliable anchors and run getters.

Azhar Ali’s attitude since taking over the ODI captaincy has been promising. He’s ready to take over from Misbah when the captain calls it a day. Azhar’s century at Colombo personified his resilience and doggedness in crisis.

The problem, however, is the fact that the Pakistani batsmen seem to be taking turns in scoring runs. They’d need to perform in unison and get more partnerships together to post totals that might bother Sri Lanka.

Angelo Matthews is leading his side well and the momentum is clearly with Sri Lanka heading into the decider. With Rangana Herath out of sorts Dhammika Prasad, Dushmantha Chameera and Tharindu Kaushal  shared the wicket taking responsibilities in the second Test.

However, what Sri Lanka shares with Pakistan is the lack of consistent run getters with all batsmen chipping in without converting starts into big tons. The one man known for making an all-time great career out of converting starts into big centuries, Kumara Sangakkara, won’t be playing in the final Test.

This means that the decider starting today is a straight bowl out between the Sri Lankan and Pakistani bowlers. That Yasir Shah has been by far the best bowler on display can work in the visitors’ favour. That virtually no one else has contributed with the bowl can come back to haunt Pakistan.