The Pakistan cricket team implemented an interesting rule during their training camp in Karachi before the Sri Lanka series, stipulating that any player who faces three consecutive dot balls would be considered out. This unconventional approach had a profound impact on the team’s batting performance, resulting in a significantly higher strike rate during the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka.
In the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Pakistan’s batters showcased their improved attacking prowess, building on their impressive bowling performance that saw them dismiss the Sri Lankan team within two sessions for 166 on the first day.
Pakistan had this rule in the team camp before the Sri Lanka series that anyone who bats three dots in a row will be out. As a result we are seeing high scoring rates. Pakistan also didn’t bat any maiden over today. #ThePakistanWay
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 24, 2023
The team’s rapid progress was exemplified when they reached the 100-run mark in just 16.4 overs, recording their fastest team century in the first innings of a Test match in the 21st century. Despite losing Imam ul Haq early in the innings when the team’s score was 13, Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood took charge and continued to attack the Sri Lankan bowling lineup, maintaining a run rate of over six runs per over.
Abdullah Shafique, displaying an outstanding performance, completed his fifty in just 49 balls, showcasing his aggressive intent and skill with the bat. Similarly, Shan Masood, who was equally relentless, scored at a strike rate of over 100 and reached his fifty in a mere 44 balls. Together, the two batsmen formed a potent partnership that achieved a century in just 103 balls—a remarkable feat that marked their first century partnership in Test cricket.
