Azhar Ali, Babar Azam score tons as Pakistan build huge lead against Sri Lanka

Skipper Azhar Ali scored his 16th Test century before he was bowled out by Lasith Embuldeniya. Photo: Pakistan Cricket Board Twitter 

KARACHI: Pakistan continued to build a huge lead against Sri Lanka in the second Test at Karachi’s National Stadium on Sunday.

Skipper Azhar Ali scored his 16th Test century, with Babar Azam adding to Pakistan's total with his fourth Test century. 

This was just the second time in Test cricket that the top four batsman had scored a century. India's Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh karthik, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar all scored tons against Bangladesh in 2007. 

Earlier, openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali had scored centuries becoming only the third opening pair for Pakistan to hit centuries in the same innings.

At lunch Pakistan were 555 for three with a lead of lead of 474 runs. 

Pakistan resumed their second innings at 395 for two wickets on day four of the second Test after Ali and Masood hit centuries on Saturday.

Abid, nicknamed "legend" in Pakistan’s dressing room, hit 174 for his second hundred in as many Tests — becoming the first Pakistani and ninth batsmen overall to score two centuries in his first two Tests.

When the third day’s play ended Pakistan were in a strong position with 395-2, having an overall lead of 315 after conceding an 80-run lead in the first innings.

It was a day for the batsmen as Pakistan added 338 runs after resuming at 57-0 on a National Stadium pitch which dried up to help batting.

Masood blasted 135 for his second century in his 19th Test as the duo put on 278 for the opening wicket, just 20 short of equalling the highest opening stand for Pakistan of 298.

Babar Azam scored his fourth Test hundred against Sri Lanka. Photo: Pakistan Cricket Board Twitter

Amir Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed had set that record against the West Indies at the same venue in 1997.

Masood batted for nearly five hours for his 135, which included three sixes and seven fours. Abid struck 21 boundaries and a six in his 398-minute stay at the crease.

Abid’s feat

Abid, 32, completed his century with a sweep off spinner Lasith Embuldeniya for two to follow his 109 in the drawn first Test in Rawalpindi — his debut.

The Rawalpindi century made Abid the first batsman ever to score hundreds in both Test and one-day debuts. He had scored 112 in his first ODI, against Australia in Dubai earlier this year.

It was pacer Lahiru Kumara (2-88) who broke the opening stand when he had Masood caught hooking just five minutes from tea before he trapped Abid with the second new ball.

Abid’s successive hundreds have put him in an elite company.

India's Mohammad Azharuddin scored three hundreds in his first three Test after making his debut against England at home in December 1984.

William Ponsford, Doug Walters and Greg Blewett of Australia, Sourav Ganguly and Rohit Sharma of India, Alvin Kallicharran of the West Indies and Jimmy Neesham of New Zealand are the others who hit two centuries in their first two Tests.

Masood, playing his 19th Test, completed 1,000 Test runs when he reached 46.

The current series is part of the ongoing World Test championship.