Colombo, July 21: Pakistan hit back with three wickets after suffering their fourth dramatic collapse of the series to be bundled out for 299 in the first innings on the second day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka, which lead the three-Test series 2-0, went to lunch on 63-3 after facing 18 overs of disciplined bowling from Pakistan.
Seam bowler Umar Gul bowled opener Malinda Warnapura for a first-ball duck with a delivery that swung in the air as well as off the pitch.
Captain Younis Khan brought himself on as the third seamer, reaping immediate success as Tharanga Paranavitana left an in-swinging delivery to be bowled for five runs with the total on 23.
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene (10 not out) steadied the innings with a 40-run stand for the third wicket, before Sangakkara was out in the last over before lunch, trapped lbw to offspinner Saeed Ajmal for 45. Sangakkara faced 56 balls and hit seven boundaries.
Sangakkara got two reprieves when he was dropped at gully by Khurram Manzoor on 16 and 40 off seamer Mohammad Aamer.
Sri Lanka’s Thilan Thushara hastened Pakistan’s collapse in the morning to claim his maiden five-wicket haul and finish with figures of 5-83.
Pakistan resumed the second day on 289-7, but lost its remaining wickets for just 10 runs in 22 balls.
Their last five wickets fell for just 14 runs after two partnerships — 167 between Manzoor and Mohammad Yousuf and 75 runs between Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq — had brought the visitors to 285-5.
Nuwan Kulasekera (3-47) trapped Danish Kaneria lbw with the third ball of the day for 1 and Thushara bowled Kamran Akmal for 1 before the visitors could add any runs to their overnight total.
Thushara shattered the stumps of last man Ajmal for 8 to end another disappointing effort for Pakistan, whose batsmen have been prone to losing quick wickets under pressure through this series.
Manzoor and Yousuf dominated the first day before Manzoor was out for 93, caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene off seam bowler Chaminda Vaas. Yousuf made 90 before being run out.
–Agencies–