Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 7 wickets to take 1-0 lead in the 2-match series
Galle: Retiring Mahela Jayawardene took on the unusual role of opening batsman to hand Sri Lanka a thrilling seven-wicket victory on the final day of the first Test against Pakistan in Galle on Sunday.
The hosts, needing 99 to win in a minimum of 21 overs, beat fading light and approaching rain to cruise home in the 17th over in front of some 5,000 jubilant home fans. Jayawardene, who is due to retire from Test cricket after the two-match series, scored 26 before Kumar Sangakkara (21) and skipper Angelo Mathews (25 not out) chipped in lower down the order.
Mathews and Kithuruwan Vithanage smashed 17 runs in the 16th over bowled by Junaid Khan and then scored the winning run in the next over just before rain hit Galle.
The win was set up by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who claimed six for 48 that bundled Pakistan out for 180 in their second innings in the post-tea session. Pakistan, who started the day at 4-1, lost three wickets in the morning session to go to lunch on 66-4.
The tourists added eight runs in the morning when seamer Dhammika Prasad had nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal edging a catch to wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella. Opener Ahmed Shehzad made 16 when he was given out leg-before to off-spinner Perera .
Shehzad, who consulted his partner Azhar Ali before deciding not to ask for an umpire’s review, would have survived if he had signalled for it. Replays showed the ball missing the leg stump. Herath dealt Pakistan a bigger blow when he bowled first innings century-maker Younis Khan for 13 to reduce the tourists to 55-4. Ali and skipper Misbah-ul Haq put on 56 for the fifth wicket on either side of lunch when both fell at the same total to make it 111-6 — just 29 runs ahead with 45 overs left in the game. Ali (41) was caught behind off Herath and Misbah (28) was leg-before to Perera in the next over.
Seamer Shaminda Eranga had Abdur Rehman caught behind at the stroke of tea before Herath dismissed Talha and last man Junaid to leave gutsy Sarfraz Ahmed stranded on 52 not out.(AFP)
Score board
Pakistan 1st innings: 451
Sri Lanka 1st innings: 533
Pakistan 2nd innings
KManzoor c Dickwella b Herath 3
Ahmed Shehzad lbw b Perera 16
SAjmal c Dickwella b Prasad 4
Azhar Ali c Dickwella b Herath 41
Younis Khan b Herath 13
Misbah-ul Haq lbw b Perera 28
Asad Shafiq lbw b Herath 8
Sarfraz Ahmed not out 52
ARehman c Dickwella b Eranga 1
MTalha c Dickwella b Herath 4
Junaid Khan lbw b Herath 0
Total (all out, 80.2 overs) 180
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-11, 3-39, 4-55, 5-111, 6-111, 7-133, 8-153, 9-178
Bowling: Herath 30.2-11-48-6, Eranga 14-5-44-1, Perera 28-6-68-2, Prasad 8-3-10-1.
Sri Lanka 2nd innings:
U Tharanga b Junaid 12
M Jayawardene b Junaid 26
K Sangakkara c Manzoor b Talha 21
A Mathews not out 25
K Vithanage not out 11
Total (3 wickets, 16.2 overs) 99
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-59, 3-73
Bowling: Ajmal 6-0-29-0, Junaid 8-0-55-2, Talha 2.2-0-12-1.