With the prospect of yet another defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka staring down at the Pakistani batsmen, struggling at 96-5 in the late afternoon of the third day of the first Test in Galle, the side were in dire need of a rescue act.
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Still trailing by 204 runs, Pakistan had just lost their captain Misbah-ul-Haq and were facing the very real prospect of a damaging defeat.
What followed was an inspiring performance from two of the country’s most in-form players, whose partnership at the crease is built upon a foundation of friendship that has been cultivated first on the domestic cricket scene in Pakistan and now on the international stage.
At one end was wicketkeeper batsman Sarfraz Ahmed who knows only one way to play, plotted a bid to utilise his natural attacking prowess and counter-attack a buoyant Sri Lanka team and turn the game on its head.
There was a sense of urgency as soon as Sarfraz walked to the wicket with Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews tinkering with the field, knowing the importance of his scalp.
At the other end, Asad Shafiq cuts a more subtle figure, keen on bringing a a certain calm that perfectly offsets Sarfraz’s more crude – but in no way less cultured – onslaught.
Pakistan managed to survive both the metaphorical and physical storm, the players walking off with scoreboard showing 118 for five.
Sarfraz Ahmed is the best ever wicket keeper batsman ,Pakistan has ever produced #performance #skills
— Muhammad Wasim (@MuhammadWasim77) June 20, 2015
As the fourth day began, Sarfraz erupted, displaying his vast array of shots as he sailed his way through his innings before falling agonizingly short of a fourth Test hundred. Meanwhile, Shafiq was quietly taking his time, set on a big score.
Within no time, Pakistan ate up their host’s lead in no time courtesy of a splendid 139-run sixth-wicket stand between the pair.
Both players are thankful for the chemistry they have created having played together for seven years at Pakistan Cricket Club (Pakistan CC).
“We’ve been playing together for very long, almost seven years for the same club which really helped us out there in the middle as the chemistry between the two of us is great,” Shafiq told Sport360.
“When you play together in the same club, for the same region in first-class cricket, then such things help, especially at the highest level because there are times when you need someone who understands your game and you understand his game.”
Sarfraz unfittingly departed on 96 – a knock coming from just 85 deliveries with help of 13 strikes to the fence – while trying to play a sweep shot to pacer Dhammika Prasad in pursuit of his ton.
In the new ICC Test ranking Sarfraz Ahmed has jumped to 16th no ,Asad Shafiq has progressed to 12,while Younus Khan is at 5 & Misbah at 9.
— Mirza Iqbal Baig (@mirzaiqbal80) June 21, 2015
Once Sarfraz departed, Shafiq took responsibility for the Pakistan innings as he completed his 7th Test century with a composed 131.
“Initially, I was bogged down and couldn’t get runs but Sarfaraz’s knock helped me because he kept on scoring quickly while it allowed me time to settle in. The best thing is that he understands my game and I know his style of play so we both complimented each other well in a difficult situation for Pakistan,” added Shafiq.
“The way Sarfraz played around me really boosted my confidence and allowed me to buy more time. Once I got in the groove, the batting became easy and I scored freely then. The situation was really demanding because we were trailing by 200 runs and we were the final recognised batting pair, so the onus was on us to score as much as we can together to take the game forward.”
Shafiq hailed the partnership as one of the finest of his career, as Pakistan went on to secure a stunning victory that looked a long way off when the pair came together at the crease.
“This was perhaps one of my career’s best partnerships as it helped Pakistan win the match. Previously, Azhar and I were involved in a 90-run odd stand against South Africa where we saved the Test but the match winning partnership means a lot. It was also probably my toughest Test ton out of the seven and I am really proud of our achievement,” explained Shafiq.
“What was really pleasing for us was to nullify the threat of left-arm spinner Rangana Herath because he had been troubling Pakistan over the last few years. The plan was to keep his wicket column empty and we knew he would panic and so would the Sri Lankans and that is exactly what happened.”
Sarfraz was equally pleased to deliver when it mattered most and was happy to sacrifice his wicket in pursuit of the team’s win.
“Last year I scored a century against Sri Lanka and we lost so that ton was meaningless for me. This time around, I scored 96 and we won, thus this innings is dearer to me because it helped Pakistan to come out on top,” Sarfaraz told Sport360.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing to miss out on a hundred but 96 is much better than getting out on zero. But I will be more careful in the future with my shot selection when I’m in the nineties.”
Sarfraz’s partnership with Shafiq, central to the complexion of the result, was enjoyed as much by the gloveman as his teammate.
“Playing together for so long has helped us know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. So it was good to spend sometime in the middle together and help Pakistan out of a troubled situation,” he said.
“When I am in trouble Asad helps me and when he is trouble I try to guide him and this is how the bonding in the team improves where everyone tries to help their teammates.”
Sarfraz and Shafiq’s work put Pakistan in unlikely control of the match, allowing leg-spinner Yasir Shah to take centre stage as he bagged career best figures of 7-76 in the second innings to bamboozle Sri Lanka as the Islanders struggled to 206 all-out, a target of 90 proving an easy task for Pakistan.
Shah’s emergence has drawn praise from the likes of legends of the art of leg-spin, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble but this was his standout performance to date.
However, according to former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, now banned for his role in spot-fixing, the going will only get tougher for Shah.
“The beginning of Yasir’s career has been really promising and it’s a good sign for Pakistan that young players are stepping up to the plate in the absence of match-winners like Saeed Ajmal,” said Kaneria.
“Until now he has only played on Asian pitches and his performances have been good. But the real challenge will start now as teams target him and prepare for him better than ever. In addition, his real challenge would be to repeat such performances in Australia, England and South Africa.”
“Yasir has got a good leg-spinner but he needs to work on his flipper and googly if he wants to maintain match-winning performances.”
Kaneria, Pakistan’s most successful Test spinner with 261 wickets in 61 Tests, believes Shah can improve his game by giving the ball more flight to get more purchase from pitches.
“If you look at the dismissals, it was a case of Sri Lankans throwing away their wickets instead of Yasir getting them out to be honest. I feel that the good thing about him is that he looks a keen learner as he is trying to develop a googly which was missing from his armoury previously,” Kaneria added.
“Yasir has got a good leg-spinner but he needs to work on his flipper and googly if he wants to maintain match-winning performances. Getting on top is one thing but staying there for long is altogether a different challenge and he needs to prepare himself for that.”
With the likes of Sarfraz and Shafiq around him, Shah is certainly in the right environment to develop his game. It is this positivity that the Pakistani dressing room has been crying out for since the damage done to the group by the likes of Kaneria and the infamous fixers Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif.
On the back of such a remarkable win, this may even be a new dawn for Pakistan cricket, ushered in by the three musketeers; Shafiq, Sarfraz and Shah.
