Younus Triple Ensures Pakistan Save Follow-On

Younus Triple Ensures Pakistan Save Follow-On

Younus Khan (right) sweeps to add another run to the total, watched by Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene (closest to camera).

©REUTERS/Athar Hussain (PAKISTAN) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Sri Lanka 644-7 dec. (Jayawardene 240, Samaraweera 231) v
Pakistan 574-5 (Younus Khan 306no, Faisal Iqbal 57)
Scorecard | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Top Individual Test Innings
1st Test, Karachi, day four: stumps

Younus Khan became the 20th man to score a triple-century in Test cricket as Pakistan closed day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi on 574 for five having comfortably saved the follow-on.

Sri Lanka declared on 644 for seven after Mahela Jayawardene, himself a triple-centurion against South Africa in 2006, and Thilan Samaraweera scored double-centuries.

Younus reverse-swept Muttiah Muralitharan for three runs to reach the milestone, also becoming the third Pakistani to reach 300 after Hanif Mohammed and Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Sri Lanka struck twice in the day to remove Misbah-ul-Haq for 42 and Faisal Iqbal for 57, the latter becoming Jayawardene's fifth Test wicket and the day closed with Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara bowling.

Misbah faced 153 balls and Iqbal 141 but the day was all about Younus, who reached 300 in 511 deliveries, closing having faced 545, hitting 27 fours and four sixes and with the match destined to be a draw, a serious asault on the Test record of 400, currently held by Brian Lara, could be in order on the final day and even an attempt at the first-class record of 501, also held by Lara.

And as captain, Younus himself holds the destiny of his team's innings in his own hands - provided he doesn't run out of partners.

© Cricket World 2009

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