SHARJAH : Younis Khan hit an unbeaten half-century and Azhar Ali was two
short of his to steady Pakistan on the third day of the third and final
cricket Test against Sri Lanka at Sharjah stadium on Saturday.Resuming
at a precarious 35-2 after losing both the openers on Friday, Azhar
(48) and Younis (51) have so far added 91 during their third wicket
stand to take Pakistan to 126-2 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings
total of 413.Sri Lanka, who swiftly dismissed both Pakistani
openers Mohammad Hafeez (six) and Taufiq Umar (19), were a bowler short
after frontline paceman Dhammika Prasad injured a muscle and was unable
to bowl on the third morning.That helped Azhar, who scored
his maiden hundred in the last match in Dubai, and Younis to bat out the
first session without any trouble.Younis swept off-spinner
Suraj Randiv for his eighth boundary to complete his 26th half-century
in his 71st Test. Azhar has so far hit six boundaries.Resuming
at 35-2, the Pakistani batsmen were cautious before Younis posted the
50 with a crisp boundary off left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara to
raise the tempo, which also prompted Ali to play his shots freely.Younis,
on 30, survived a close leg-before shout against left-arm spinner
Rangana Herath who extracted some spin out of an otherwise
batting-friendly pitch.Pakistan lead the three-Test series
1-0 after their crushing nine-wicket win in the second match in Dubai.
The first Test in Abu Dhabi ended in draw
