Prime target to go past Lankan score

Chris Dhambarage

Pakistan skipper Younis Khan believes that overtaking Sri Lanka’s record breaking total of 644 runs is their prime target when the fifth and final day’s play of the first Test match resumes at the National Stadium in Karachi today.

Pakistan closed on 574 for 5 following a maiden triple century from Younis Khan who will now be targeting West Indian Brain Lara’s World record score of 400 runs.

However Younis Khan noted that if his team could get a lead of 20 to 30 runs on the first innings it will be a real morale booster for them while going into the second Test match in Lahore starting on March 1.

The number three batsman who remained unbeaten on 306 said that there may be an opportunity for him to break the World record on the final day but is more keen to give his bowlers some time to spend in the middle ahead of the second test.

Younis Khan who needs only 32 more runs to become the highest ever individual scorer for Pakistan said that his innings was built around some good partnerships supported by Misbah ul Haq and Faisal Iqbal.

In fact Hanif Mohamed scored 337 against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1958 and Inzamam ul Haq made 329 against New Zealand at Lahore in 2002. Younis Khan who has already batted for more than 12 hours said that he is planning to declare and give his team at least 40 overs to bowl in the second innings.