Sri Lanka, seeking a series-levelling win after losing the second Test by nine wickets in Dubai, removed Mohammad Hafeez (six) and Taufeeq Umar (19) as Pakistan closed on 35 for two in reply to their rivals’ first-innings total of 413.
The hosts looked shaky from the start as Hafeez was dismissed in the fifth over, edging an outgoing delivery from left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara to slip.
Left-arm spinner Rangana then struck in his third over, inducing Umar to come out of the crease and had him stumped by wicket-keeper Kaushal Silva.
At close, Azhar was unbeaten on 10 and Younus Khan was yet to get off the mark, as Pakistan still trail by 378 runs.
Ajmal troubles Sri Lanka
Earlier, Saeed Ajmal led Pakistan’s fightback with four for 132 after Sri Lanka, well placed at 300 for three, lost five wickets for 59 runs before a ninth-wicket stand of 54 between Silva (39) and Herath (34*) took them past 400.
Umar Gul ably supported Ajmal with three for 76, but late additions to the Sri Lankan total frustrated Pakistan.
The bowlers knew they had to remove Sangakkara to make inroads into the Sri Lankan middle-order after they dismissed Angelo Mathews for 17 in the last over before lunch.
It was Ajmal who finally provided Pakistan with the stylish left-hander’s wicket when his delivery jumped on Sangakkara, who miscued a pull and was caught in the slip by Younus after making 144.
Sangakkara pleased
Sangakkara, who also crossed 9,000 Test runs during the innings, showed pleasure at helping the team.
“It’s pretty encouraging to know that I crossed 9,000 runs,” said Sangakkara, only the second Sri Lankan behind Jayawardene to do so. “My job is to keep scoring runs and every Test is a new challenge.”
Sangakkara put on 84 for the third wicket with Jayawardene (39) and another 39 with Mathews for the fourth after Sri Lanka resumed at 245 for two. Jayawardene managed to add just seven to his overnight score of 32 before being given leg-before off paceman Khan.
Sangakkara and Mathews negotiated Pakistan’s pace-spin attack with confidence before Pakistan struck in the last over before lunch.
Ajmal also dismissed debutant Kosala Kulasekara while Gul struck to remove Suraj Randiv for one. The spinner also broke the ninth wicket stand by dismissing Silva, while Gul wrapped up the innings when he bowled Welegedara.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2011.
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