Abid, Shan post centuries as Pakistan establish big lead.

Byline: Khalid H. Khan

KARACHI -- Abid Ali and Shan Masood put the Sri Lanka bowling to the sword with scintillating centuries on a day of records while putting Pakistan in the driving seat in the second and final Test here at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Pakistan had garnered a lead of 315 runs by going to stumps at a commanding 395-2 as they serenely regained initiative from the visitors after openers Abid (174) and Shan (135) ad provided the platform in a record-laden partnership of 278 in 301 minutes - the sixth biggest stand in all Pakistan-Sri Lanka Tests with both men posting career-best scores.

With the home side dictating terms all day, it was a heartening sight to find Azhar Ali finally come out of the horrible rut - 13 previous Test innings without a half-century - as the captain stayed until the close of play to make 57 (off 103 balls, four boundaries). And with Babar Azam (22) at the crease, Pakistan are sighting their eye on completing shutting the doors on Sri Lanka on Sunday's penultimate day of the series.

The awesome batting performance was a stark contrast to what had transpired on the first day when Pakistan crumbled inside 59 overs for 191 and then allowing Sri Lanka post 271. Resuming day three at 57-0, Pakistan's primary objective upfront on Saturday was to wipe out Sri Lanka's lead of 80 runs on the first innings and then built a sufficient total before setting the visitors a daunting fourth-innings chase on a pitch which had gradually gone flatter and turned into a belter as the day unfolded.

Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne rotated the bowlers but all his attempts were nullified by the two Pakistani openers who maintained a scoring rate of 3.75 runs per over almost throughout their marathon stand. On the way, the first-wicket column also had new entrants as Abid and Shan not only sailed past the previous best partnership against Sri Lanka - 156 recorded by Wajahatullah Wasti and Shahid Afridi during the Asian Test Championship match at Lahore in March 1999.

The scoring pattern testified how dominant both Abid and Shan were throughout; in the period leading to the interval, Pakistan piled up 118 from 26 overs to be 175-0 at the break with Abid moving from his overnight score of 32 to 93 and Shan from 21 to 78. The afternoon saw the hosts add another 107 in 29 overs, while the final session also yielded 107

The salient feature of that lunch score was that it eclipsed Pakistan's previous highest for any...