Rangana Herath grabbed six for 48 as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by seven wickets on a remarkable last day of the first Test on Sunday.
The left-arm spinner turned the game on its head when Pakistan, which trailed by 82 after the first innings, was bowled out for 180. Sri Lanka then needed 99 runs in a minimum 21 overs with dark clouds hovering over the Galle International Stadium.
Captain Angelo Mathews (25 not out) showed urgency by hitting two sixes and two fours as Sri Lanka reached 99 for three in 16.2 overs just in time before the rain arrived.
Mahela Jayawardene, playing in his penultimate Test, set the tempo with a quick 26 as an opener before Mathews took charge under bad light.
“It was one of the best games I have played and Herath was unbelievable,” Mathews said.
Fourth loss
It was Pakistan’s fourth loss in a Test match after scoring more than 450 runs in the first innings. The visitor will look to spoil Jayawardene’s farewell Test in his hometown Colombo on Thursday.
Kumar Sangakkara’s 10th double century (221) helped Sri Lanka respond solidly by declaring at 533 for nine after Younis Khan hit a brilliant 177 in Pakistan’s first innings total of 451.
But Pakistan’s batsmen paid a heavy price of protecting their wickets instead of scoring runs after resuming the day at four for one as Herath got rid of the top-order before mopping up the tail just after tea.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed top scored with an unbeaten 52 before he ran out of partners.
“Credit should be given to Herath, he knew these conditions very well, especially in Galle where he’s been so successful,” Pakistan captain Misbah said.
“I think we got under pressure the way Sri Lankan bowlers bowled ... we have to improve our batting.”
Pakistan showed no urgency and looked for a draw as it lost three wickets in the morning session while adding 62 runs.
Misbah and Ali defied Sri Lanka briefly with a 56-run stand but not before the Pakistan captain twice survived lbw appeals. Misbah wiped out the deficit by hoisting the off-spinner to midwicket for a six before reverse sweeping the off-spinner for another boundary.
He was on 26 when Eranga went for the DRS but his high full toss hit Misbah’s pads outside the line of the leg stump.
Earlier, Pakistan scored only four boundaries in the morning session after nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal (4) was caught behind off Dhammika Prasad in the eighth over of the day.
Khan overtook Sachin Tendulkar (1,995) as the highest Test run scorer against Sri Lanka when he straight drove Eranga for his second four before he was undone by Herath’s magnificent delivery that hit the top of off stump.
Shehzad could have overturned English umpire Ian Gould’s lbw decision against him off Perera, but didn’t use the DRS and walked off after scoring a painstaking 16 off 74 balls.
Scoreboard
Pakistan — 1st innings: 451.
Sri Lanka — 1st innings: 533 for nine decl.
Pakistan — 2nd innings: K. Manzoor c Dickwella b Herath 3, A. Shehzad lbw b Perera 16, S. Ajmal 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, A. Rehman c Dickwella b Eranga 1, M. Talha c Dickwella b Herath 4, Junaid Khan lbw b Herath 0; Extras: (b-7, lb-3) 10; Total (in 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.
Sri Lanka 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; Extras: (lb-3, w-1) 4; Total (for three wkts. in 16.2 overs) 99.
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-59, 3-73.
Pakistan bowling: Ajmal 6-0-29-0, Junaid 8-0-55-2, Talha 2.2-0-12-1.
