Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 209 runs in 1st Test ශී‍්‍ර ලංකා පිලට ලකුණු 209 ක ජයක්

Pakistan resisted bravely before succumbing to a 209-run defeat to Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the opening Test in Galle as the home side registered their biggest win in Tests between these two sides. Half-centuries from Younus Khan and Asad Shafiq heped Pakistan bat for 114 overs in their second overs before they were bowled out for 300 after Sri Lanka had claimed the extra half-hour to force a result with a day to spare. Pakistan, who were bowled out for 100 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 472, had been set 510 to win as Sri Lanka declared their second innings on 137 for five. They resumed play on 36 for three and quickly lost nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal when he was run out by Suraj Randiv for 12. Younus (87 in 213 balls) and Shafiq (80 in 165) then combined to excellent effect, blunting Sri Lanka’s charge with a 151-run partnership for the fourth wicket. It took an aexcellent catch at slip from Mahela Jayawardene to remove Shafiq and break the partnership and after tea, Younus fell when he feathered an edge through to Prasanna Jayawardene off Nuwan Kulasekara. Debutant Mohammad Ayub worked hard for his 22 in 65 balls before becoming Nuwan Pradeep’s maiden Test wicket when he was trapped in front, leaving Adnan Akmal with the tail. Akmal played some fine strokes before running out of partners, hitting five fours and scoring 40 not out in 105 deliveries. Randiv ripped through the lower order, having Umar Gul (14) caught by Kumar Sangakkara, Umar Gul (4) caught by Thilan Samaraweera and Junaid Khan caught by substitute Jeevan Mendis for eight. Sri Lanka’s previous biggest win over Pakistan came at Faisalabad in 2004 and this effort betters that one by eight runs. The second Test in the three-match series gets underway in Colombo on 30th June.