Rangana Herath’s 14-wicket match haul helped ensure former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene retired from test cricket with a series sweep against Pakistan on Monday.
“We knew they were going come hard at us, they play our spinners very well as well. So it’s just that we won those difficult situations and I thought those little phases we had to fight really hard we fought really hard,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said.
“I am pretty pleased the way the whole team turning up wanting to win every day. Starting from the second test against South Africa upto now it has been brilliant.”
The better team won
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said Herath was the difference between two teams and said there was no shame in losing to a better team.
“It’s (losing) a part of the game, but you haven’t lost to a low ranked as they are the fine side and recently won a series against England so they have been playing well. Losing to them isn’t really what you call a humiliation as they played better cricket them us,” said Misbah.
“You only learn from your defeats and it’s not like we played bad cricket we did play good cricket but they were little bit better than us. When you lose 2-0 or 1-0 it’s not different but you never get disappointed rather try to improve with every game you play and move on.”
Pakistan started the last day at 127-7, facing almost inevitable defeat with only the possibility of rain giving them some hope of saving the test.
Sarfraz Ahmed followed up his century in the first innings with 55 in the second before he was caught by Kumar Sangakkara in the deep off seam bowler Chanaka Welegedara. Ahmed faced 89 deliveries and hit two boundaries but his wicket spelled the end for Pakistan.
Riaz’s dismissal sealed victory for Sri Lanka, with Junaid Khan unable to bat after being hit on the head by a Dhammika Prasad bouncer in the first innings.
The batting failed again for Pakistan, after the bowlers got the tourists back into contention on Sunday with eight Sri Lanka wickets for 105 in a remarkable comeback.
But Sri Lanka, led by Dhammika Prasad’s two quick wickets and Herath, revelled in the conditions and gave long-serving Jayawardene a fitting farewell to the five-day format.
A farewell in style
Mahela Jayawardene ended his illustrious 17-year test career in near perfect style in the whitewash win for Sri Lanka against Pakistan on Monday.
A half-century at his home ground, another century stand with his friend and favourite batting partner Kumar Sangakkara, capped with his teammates carrying him off the field on their shoulders.
In retirement he will be preparing a special place in his trophy cabinet for his 15-year test cap as he turns his attention to playing at next year's World Cup, before quitting international cricket altogether.
In 149 tests since making his debut in 1997, Jayawardene retired on Monday on the final day of the second test at the Sinhalese Sports Club with 11,814 career runs at an average of 49.84.
Jayawardene made his debut against India in 1997 as a 20-year-old and scored a half-century in his first innings which largely went unnoticed because of Sri Lanka's record breaking 952-6 with Sanath Jayasuriya (340) and Roshan Mahanama (225) in a 576-run partnership.
The decision to retire was something I have been thinking for some time...It was just a gut feeling, but have I always gone with my gut feelings. Given the fact that we don't have test cricket for another 12 months it's time for a new generation to take over...
Later, he himself scored 374 in a record-breaking 624-run partnership with Sangakkara who scored 287 during a test series against South Africa in 2006.
“The decision to retire was something I have been thinking for some time and came to a point I felt that for me the right time was right,” Jayawardene said after the match.
“It was just a gut feeling, but have I always gone with my gut feelings. Given the fact that we don't have test cricket for another 12 months it's time for a new generation to take over. I will try and help that rebuilding process as I could.”
In retirement from tests Jayawardene has some plans one which will be to start a cancer hospital project in the southern province through a charity that he is part of.
The organization has built a $ 4 million hospital in northern Jaffna, affected by the country's quarter-century civil war.
Another would be to make room in his trophy cabinet for his test cap which he has worn for 15 years.
“It has a huge value, I have stitched it and managed to wear it for such a long time,” Jayawardene said pointing at his cap which he wore for a last time.
“It's been with me for 15 years now, the first two years we had a different cap. I think this will go in my trophy cabinet at the top, have a nice place I have already planned that...”
