De Silva, Kusal Mendis Centuries Put Sri Lanka 404-4, 30 Behind Pakistan on Day Three

News Cuff 11 November 2026

RAWALPINDI: Dhananjaya de Silva and captain Kusal Mendis batted through more than two sessions on Wednesday to drag Sri Lanka back into the first Test against Pakistan, reaching 404 for four at stumps on the third day — just 30 runs behind the hosts’ first-innings total of 434 for nine declared.

De Silva finished unbeaten on 167 from 241 balls, striking 20 fours in a marathon knock that brought up his 14th Test century off 151 balls. At the other end, Mendis — leading Sri Lanka in a Test for the first time — was 117 not out from 188 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes, his 11th Test hundred coming off 152 balls.

An unbroken 249-run stand turns the match

The pair’s unbroken 249-run stand for the fifth wicket is already Sri Lanka’s best against Pakistan, and it has put the visitors within reach of the first-innings lead with six wickets still in hand. Sri Lanka had resumed on 114 for three, and lost only one wicket all day — Kamindu Mendis, who made 58 and shared a 90-run stand with de Silva before edging Mohammad Abbas to wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori.

Sri Lanka were 221 for four at lunch and 348 for four at tea, and bad light brought play to an early close for the third day running.

Pakistan’s bowlers toil without reward

Abbas was the only Pakistan bowler to take a wicket on the day, finishing with two for 64. Saqib Khan, who had struck twice on Tuesday, ended the day on two for 105 from 26 overs, while young quick Razaullah went for 127 in 23 overs without a wicket. Spinners Arafat Minhas and Salman Ali Agha were tried, but neither troubled the batters.

Pakistan had declared on 434 for nine, built around Saud Shakeel’s 93, with Tayyab Arif (57), Arafat Minhas (52), Mohammad Taha (51) and captain Babar Azam (50) all passing fifty. Sri Lanka will resume on Thursday 30 runs behind, with de Silva and Kusal Mendis 31 runs short of Sri Lanka’s all-time fifth-wicket record of 280, set by Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2005.