Mohammad Rizwan has replaced wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed as a concussion substitute on Day 3 of Pakistan's ongoing second Test match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, July 26. Sarfaraz took a hit on a helmet on Asitha Fernando's delivery and was later retired hurt from the game in the second session.
After the rain's major interruption on Day 2, the visiting side continued their dominance in this series at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club on Wednesday. Opener Abdullah Shafiqe completed his fourth Test hundred quickly and went on to smash an unbeaten maiden double ton after Tea.
Captain Babar Azam scored only 39 runs before losing his wickets on Prabath Jayasuriya's delivery for the sixth time in seven innings. Then in-form Saud Shakeel and Shafique produced a 109-run stand for the fourth wicket to stretch Pakistan's lead over 200 runs in the first innings.
Shakeel pulled off his seventh consecutive Test fifty to become the first-ever cricketer to score seven fifties in the first seven matches of the career. Sarfaraz walked into bat at no.7 when Asitha ended Shakeel's innings in the 81st over. But the experienced wicketkeeper failed to duck on Asitha's bouncer on the very first delivery he faced.
After an initial checkup from the team physio, Sarfaraz resumed his innings and faced 22 deliveries. But he was not able to continue and left the pitch to take retirement from the game. Agha Salman joined Shafique and the duo created another unbeaten 100-plus stand for the fifth wicket to take full control of the game. Pakistan were playing at 458/4 in 110 overs with a strong 292-run lead.
After the team, the management announced Mohammad Rizwan as a replacement for Sarfaraz for the remaining match. Rizwan hasn't played any Test cricket since December 2022 but can bat and keep wicket in the second innings.
