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Ricky Ponting feels that Pakistan can't win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup later this year if their captain Babar Azam doesn't have a great tournament with the bat. Pakistan's Waqar Younis recently said his former team had an excellent chance of claiming a second T20 World Cup title in Australia, but Ponting isn't so sure.
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne battled through back pain to extend Sri Lanka's second-innings lead to 323 after key strikes by Pakistan's bowlers in the second Test on Tuesday. The hosts reached 176-5 when bad light stopped play early on day three, with stumps called in Galle after more than half an hour's wait for conditions to improve. The left-handed Karunaratne, on 27, and Dhananjaya de Silva, on 30, were batting in an unbeaten stand of 59.
The T20 World Cup will be played in October-November this year in Australia and the hosts would look to defend the title after winning the tournament last year in the UAE. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed the Aaron Finch-led side to win the title once again, and he also predicted Rohit Sharma-led India to make the finals of the marquee event.
Sri Lanka extended their lead to 169 after spinner Ramesh Mendis took five wickets to help bowl out Pakistan for 231 on day three of the second Test on Tuesday. The hosts had reached 22 at lunch in Galle for their second innings with openers wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, on 11, and Oshada Fernando, on eight, at the crease. The left-handed Dickwella opened Sri Lanka's batting with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne sitting out due to a lower back injury. The captain did not take the field in the Pakistan innings and will only bat if needed.
Babar Azam's career graph is on the rise. He is currently the world No. 1 batter in ODIs and T20I in ICC rankings. In Tests, he is ranked No. 4. "As a player it's a dream to become the No. 1 in all formats and, for that, you have to focus and put in hard work. It's not like if you are the top player in one or two formats, you go easy," the official website of ICC quoted Babar as saying recently. "If you are to become No.1 in all three, you have to keep yourself fit and on track. There is back-to-back cricket and the gap is less. For that, you need to be extra fit. It's something I am preparing for. It's going well in white-ball and hopefully, I will be able to do well in Tests too," he added.
Pakistan found themselves in familiar trouble against Sri Lanka's spinners, slipping to 191-7 on the second day of the second Test in Galle on Monday.
Spinner Ramesh Mendis took three wickets to put Sri Lanka in command of the second Test on Monday despite a fighting 62 by Pakistan batsman Agha Salman.
Ramesh Mendis led an inspired Sri Lanka spin attack to leave Pakistan in trouble at 191-7 in reply to the hosts' 378 on day two of the second Test on Monday. The tourists, who lead the two-match series 1-0, ended the day still trailing Sri Lanka by 187 runs in their first innings at Galle. Agha Salman resisted the bowling attack with his maiden Test fifty but fell to Prabath Jayasuriya's left-arm spin for 62 in the final moments of play before stumps was called.