Sri Lanka produced a professional performance to register their biggest victory over Pakistan by nine wickets in the second Test in Dubai, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Paceman Suranga Lakmal took all three wickets to fall on the fifth morning to finish with a career-best 4-78 to wrap up Pakistan’s second innings for 359 before Sri Lanka knocked off the meager 137-run target losing just one wicket.
In achieving the victory, Sri Lanka also defied the cloudy weather in Dubai and rain forecast for later on Sunday.
Opener Dimuth Kar-unaratne (62 not out) hit the winning runs after putting on 124 for the first wicket with Kaushal Silva who fell after scoring 58. Kumar Sangakkara remained unbeaten on nine.
Pakistan’s lowest defended target was 127 achieved against New Zealand at Hamilton in 1993, when they dismissed their opponents for 93 but Sri Lanka ensured the good work was not lost.
Sri Lanka had previously beaten Pakistan by eight wickets on two occasions in 45 Tests between the two nations.
In a surprise move, Pakistan opened the bowling with off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez but both openers played with authority. Silva hit five boundaries before being trapped leg-before by Saeed Ajmal. Karunaratne hit eight boundaries off 125 balls.
Score Board
PAKISTAN (I Innings): 165
SRI LANKA (I Innings): 388
PAKISTAN (II Innings, O/n: 330/7):
Manzoor c Prasanna b Pradeep6
Shehzad c Prasanna b Herath9
Hafeez c Prasanna b Pradeep1
Younis c Prasanna b Lakmal77
Misbah b Herath97
Shafiq c Karunaratne b Eranga23
Ahmed b Lakmal74
Bhatti b Eranga2
Ajmal b Lakmal21
Rahat c Prasanna b Lakmal8
Junaid (not out)2
Extras (B-1, LB-8)9Total (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 (II Innings):
Karunaratne (not out)62
Silva lbw Ajmal58
S’kkara (not out)9
Extras (B-3, LB-4, NB-1)8Total (for 1 wkt, 46.2 overs)........137
Fall of wickets: 1-124.
Bowling: Hafeez 8-3-22-0, Junaid 10-2-34-0, Rahat 11-1-29-0, Ajmal 17.2-5-45-1.
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