(Reuters) – Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva struck patient half-centuries to help Sri Lanka secure a comprehensive nine-wicket victory against Pakistan in the second test and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series yesterday.
Paceman Suranga Lakmal grabbed the remaining three Pakistan wickets in the morning session to set his team a comfortable 137-run victory target and Karunaratne (62 not out) and Silva (58) added 124 runs for the opening stand to take them near the mark.
Karunaratne’s unbeaten 125-ball knock included eight hits to the fence, while Silva struck five fours in his sedate knock which ended when he was trapped leg before by Saeed Ajmal.
Resuming on 330-7, Pakistan’s slender hopes of salvaging a draw depended on a combination of their continued rearguard action and rain but none materialised at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Sarfraz Ahmed (74) could add only four runs to his overnight score before Lakmal got some reverse-swing and pushed one through his bat and pad.
The 26-year-old paceman then induced an edge from Rahat Ali and stumper Prasanna Jayawardene claimed his ninth dismissal of the match, equalling Amal Silva’s Sri Lankan record.
Pakistan folded for 359 when Lakmal sent down a yorker that landed on Saeed Ajmal’s (21) boot before hitting the stumps. Ajmal left the field in pain and missed the early part of the Sri Lankan chase.
Sharjah hosts the third test from Thursday.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan first innings 165
Sri Lanka first innings 388
Pakistan second innings (Overnight 330-7)
Khurram Manzoor c P. Jayawardene b Pradeep 6
Ahmed Shehzad c P. Jayawardene b Herath 9
Mohammad Hafeez c P. Jayawardene b Pradeep 1
Younus Khan c P. Jayawardene b. Lakmal 77
Misbah-ul-Haq b Herath 97
Asad Shafiq b Karunaratne b Eranga 23
Sarfraz Ahmed b Lakmal 74
Bilawal Bhatti b Eranga 32
Saeed Ajmal b Lakmal 21
Rahat Ali C P. Jayawardene b Lakmal 8
Junaid Khan not out 2
Extras (b-1, lb-8) 9
Total (all out; 137.3 overs) 359
Fall of wickets: 1-11 2-12 3-19 4-148 5-200 6-245 7-312 8-334 9-354.
Bowling: Lakmal 28.3-4-78-4, Pradeep 19-3-50-2, Herath 48-10-132-2, Eranga 36-9-74-2, Mathews 5-1-9-0, Sangakkara 1-0-7-0.
Sri Lanka second innings
D. Karunaratne not out 62
K. Silva lbw b Ajmal 58
K. Sangakkara not out 9
Extras (b-3, lb-4, nb-1) 8
Total (one wicket; 46.2 overs) 137
Did not bat: M Jayawardene, D Chandimal, A Mathews, P Jayawardene, R Herath, S Eranga, S Lakmal, N Pradeep.
Fall of wicket: 1-124
Bowling: Mohammad Hafeez 8-3-22-0, Junaid Khan 10-2-34-0, Rahat Ali 11-1-29-0, Saeed Ajmal 17.2-5-45-1.