Sri Lanka lose early wickets as first Test heading for draw

KARACHI: Sri Lanka lost three early wickets in their second innings but the first Test headed for a draw here on Wednesday after Pakistan captain Younus Khan failed to make batting history.

At tea on the fifth and final day Sri Lanka reached 54-3, still 67 runs adrift with Kumar Sangakkara unbeaten on 32 and Mahela Jayawardene yet to open his account.

Younus, who resumed at 306, played on to Sri Lanka's Dilhara Fernando in the ninth over of the day, much to the disappointment of the sparse crowd at the National Stadium who hoped to see him break West Indies batsman Brian Lara's record innings of 400 not-out, set against England in 2004.


The 31-year-old also fell 24 short of Hanif Mohammad's Pakistani record of 337, scored against the West Indies in Barbados in 1958, before the home team
declared their first innings on 765-6, taking a lead of 121 over Sri Lanka's first innings score of 644-7 declared.

Kamran Akmal notched a fiery career-best 158 as Pakistan improved their previous best Test innings total of 708, made against England at The Oval in 1987.

When Sri Lanka batted for the second time Pakistan paceman Umar Gul struck early blows, removing opener Malinda Warnapura (two), caught behind in the first over, then had Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) caught to leave the tourists struggling at 45-3.

Tharanga Paranavitana, who fell for a duck in the first innings, failed to beat a direct throw on to his stumps while taking a quick single and was run out for nine, ending a miserable Test debut.

Earlier Pakistan resumed at 574-5 with the interest centered on Younus's national and world record bid.

Younus, who came to the crease on Sunday, batted for a marathon 12 hours and 48 minutes, facing 568 balls and hitting 27 boundaries and four sixes.

His triple ton eclipsed Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene's 240, part of a record 437 fourth-wicket stand with Thilan Samaraweera (231).

Akmal, 27, also completed his 2,000 runs when he was 56. He hit five sixes and eight boundaries. Yasir Arafat finished with 50 not out and put on 169 quick runs for the seventh wicket with Akmal.

Kamran Lashari appointed Punjab chief secretary

LAHORE: The government of Pakistan has appointed Kamran Lashari as new Chief Secretary of Punjab and he has taken charge here on Wednesday.According to sources, Governor House Punjab had dispatched a summary requesting the federal government to appoint Lashari as chief secretary of the province. The summary was approved and Lashari got the coveted seat

KSE plunges down after Sharif Brothers case verdict

KARACHI: After Supreme Court’s verdict of declarating Sharif brothers ineligible, Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) witnessed bearish trend on Wednesday as benchmark 100-Index shed more than 200 points to plunged down to below 5800 points.

Sharif brothers declared ineligible, Shahbaz no more Punjab CM

ISLAMABAD: The three-member Bench of Supreme Court has disposed off Sharif brothers’ electoral eligibility case by declaring them ineligible for contesting elections in its two-line short order announced here.

Shahbaz Sharif under this verdict has lost his seat in the provincial assembly and being no longer member of the Punjab House, he is no more Punjab chief minister, as SC has annulled the earlier notification about his being chief

Yunus Khan’s captain inning ends at 313

KARACHI: The last day play of the first test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, being played in the National Stadium here, continued when the host captain Yunus Khan after brilliantly scoring triple ton finally lost concentration at 313 and went back to the pavilion.Yunus Khan yesterday added feather to his cap as the only batsman thus far scoring triple ton against Sri Lanka and playing a record captain’s inning from Pakistan

Cut in petroleum price not possible due to fall in revenue

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee for Finance was told that any further cut in petroleum price was not possible due to fall in recovery of revenue, while the Advisor Finance, Shaukat Tarin said that $1 billion was expected to be received from US during current fiscal year.Standing Committee meeting was held with Fauzia Wahab in chair, which mulled over doing away with the government subsidy on food items and matters relating to pric

Causalities feared in Bangladeshi force headquarters gunfire

DHAKA: A fierce gun battle broke out on Wednesday inside the headquarters of Bangladesh's border security force in the capital Dhaka, police said. The private Bangladeshi news channel has reported several injuries. "There has been a huge exchange of gunfire at BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) headquarters complex this morning. We have heard mortar fire," local police chief Nabojit Khisa told foreign news agency. "The gunfire is still going on.

General Kayani calls on Gates, Mullen and Casey

WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on Mr Robert Gates, Secretary of Defence, Admiral Michael Mullen and General George Casey.According to ISPR, General Kayani discussed matters of mutual interest with particular reference to security situation in the region. Chief of Army Staff also called on Lieutenant General Mapples, Director Defence Intelligence Agency

US ready to lead again, says Obama

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama vowed to lead a fearful America through its torment to emerge stronger than ever, declaring a "day of reckoning" after an age of excess ended in economic meltdown.

Ina policy-heavy debut address to Congress, the new president demanded national sacrifice and responsibility in a bold show of confidence, meant to restore his nation's optimism and revive its moribund economy.

Younis makes history hitting triple ton against SL

KARACHI: Skipper Younis Khan created history by scoring a triple hundred, only the third by a Pakistani in Test cricket – here at the National Stadium on Tuesday.His extra-ordinary innings not only helped his team to make a huge total of 574 runs for the loss of five wickets in reply to Sri Lanka’s 644-7 declared in the first innings by the end of the fourth day’s play in the first Test

Bull-run continues as KSE gains 25 points

KARACHI: Investors buying in energy sector here on Tuesday kept the bullish trend prevailed in the Karachi Stock Exchange for the second day of the week that pushed the market upward.The benchmark KSE-100 index gained 25 points to close at 5,875 points. Volume remained at 130.7 million shares. According to records, this volume level is below the average 250 million shares traded on a daily basis last year

Indian TV releases new Mumbai attacks footage

MUMBAI: An Indian news channel released on Tuesday fresh CCTV footage of Mumbai terror attacks.According to the TV channel, four armed men, carrying heavy bags on their backs, were seen knocking at the doors in Hotel Oberoi. The footage then showed the attackers asking people to assemble in one place of the hotel.

Govt to abolish NSC: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday said a bill would soon be tabled before the National Assembly to formally wind up the National Security Council (NSC). Talking to reporters after inaugurating a sewerage treatment plant the prime minister said there was wide disagreement amongst the political parties when the controversial NSC was set up during former President Pervez Musharraf’s era

Five killed, 2 injured in Quetta firing

QUETTA: Five people were killed and three others critically injured in an incident of firing on Saryab road here on Tuesday, police said.

According to Geo News correspondent, unidentified armed men riding on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at people on Saryab road. As a result, five people were killed on the spot while three others were critically injured.