Sri Lanka — Pakistan was cruising toward a win in the first Test after debutante bowlers Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Aamer produced three wickets each to end Sri Lanka's second innings cheaply on Monday.
Chasing 168 runs to win, Pakistan needed 97 more runs to win at stumps on the third day with eight wickets in hand and two days to spare.
Spin bowler Ajantha Mendis took his first wicket of the match when he had Khurram Manzoor caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene for 15 runs. Captain Younis Khan did not survive much longer as he was trapped lbw by seamer Anjelo Mathews for three with the total on 39.
Mohammad Yousuf (12 not out) was batting with opener Salman Butt (28 not out) at stumps.
Coach Intikhab Alam told reporters later that although Sri Lanka's 167 is "not a steep target," it is important for Pakistan to avoid losing early wickets on the fourth day.
"Considering the pitch, the way the pitch has behaved, if you see the history of this ground ... the first hour or two will be crucial," Alam said. "We'll make sure we don't have any hiccups."
Sri Lanka resumed their second innings trailing Pakistan by 50 runs but its much-vaunted lineup crumbled under pressure to be dismissed for 217.
Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss blamed poor batting for his side's troubles.
"We didn't bat very well today. I think the boys will be the first to admit that," he said.
"Obviously we need to take some early wickets tomorrow morning. It's going to be difficult but taking a couple of early wickets, you never know."
The hosts were in early trouble on the third day, Monday, as opener Malinda Warnapura was out second ball of the day caught by Khan at slip off seam bowler Umar Gul.
A responsible 68-run partnership followed between Tharanga Paranavitana and Rangana Herath that appeared to form a base for a higher total.
Khan then struck just before lunch, trapping Herath lbw for 15 to leave Sri Lanka on 70-2 at the interval.
Aamer propelled a collapse in the middle session, grabbing three wickets while conceding two runs.
His first breakthrough came when he dismissed in-form Paranavitana one run short of his second half-century of the match. Paranavitana nicked a ball that shaped away from him to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. His 58-ball innings included five boundaries, complimenting his 72 in the first innings.
Soon Jayawardene (0) and captain Kumar Sangakkara (14) departed to Aamer in a similar fashion. Tillakaratne Dilshan (22) and Thilan Samaraweera (34) had good starts but they were unable to convert them into big scores under persistent pressure from the Pakistani bowlers.
Aamer returned 3-38 while Ajmal recorded 3-34.
Alam praised his inexperienced bowling attack that includes three debutantes for giving Pakistan the advantage.
"I must congratulate them for the way they have performed," Alam said.
"That's a very good sign to see youngsters coming into the game. They have been given responsibility and they have fulfilled that."
Apart from Aamer and Ajmal who claimed six and five wickets respectively in this match, seam bowler Abdur Rauf also made his debut in the Test and took 3 wickets and scored 31 runs as a night watchman.
The start of play was delayed Monday after overnight rain, and Sri Lanka resumed at 0-0 after surviving one over without loss the previous evening.
On Sunday, Yousuf celebrated his return to Test cricket with 112 runs that helped Pakistan reach 342 all out in its first innings in response to Sri Lanka's 292.
Yousuf was involved in two crucial partnerships with Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik during his innings that brought him his 29th Test hundred.
Seamer Nuwan Kulasekera was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 4-71 while left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara took 2-77.
Pakistan's most senior batsman, Yousuf had been exiled from Test cricket for 19 months after he signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League. But he was recalled by the authorities to tour Sri Lanka after he broke links with the unsanctioned Twenty20 league.
The Test is the first between the sides since a deadly terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team and its security convoy during a Test in Lahore in March.
Chasing 168 runs to win, Pakistan needed 97 more runs to win at stumps on the third day with eight wickets in hand and two days to spare.
Spin bowler Ajantha Mendis took his first wicket of the match when he had Khurram Manzoor caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene for 15 runs. Captain Younis Khan did not survive much longer as he was trapped lbw by seamer Anjelo Mathews for three with the total on 39.
Mohammad Yousuf (12 not out) was batting with opener Salman Butt (28 not out) at stumps.
Coach Intikhab Alam told reporters later that although Sri Lanka's 167 is "not a steep target," it is important for Pakistan to avoid losing early wickets on the fourth day.
"Considering the pitch, the way the pitch has behaved, if you see the history of this ground ... the first hour or two will be crucial," Alam said. "We'll make sure we don't have any hiccups."
Sri Lanka resumed their second innings trailing Pakistan by 50 runs but its much-vaunted lineup crumbled under pressure to be dismissed for 217.
Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss blamed poor batting for his side's troubles.
"We didn't bat very well today. I think the boys will be the first to admit that," he said.
"Obviously we need to take some early wickets tomorrow morning. It's going to be difficult but taking a couple of early wickets, you never know."
The hosts were in early trouble on the third day, Monday, as opener Malinda Warnapura was out second ball of the day caught by Khan at slip off seam bowler Umar Gul.
A responsible 68-run partnership followed between Tharanga Paranavitana and Rangana Herath that appeared to form a base for a higher total.
Khan then struck just before lunch, trapping Herath lbw for 15 to leave Sri Lanka on 70-2 at the interval.
Aamer propelled a collapse in the middle session, grabbing three wickets while conceding two runs.
His first breakthrough came when he dismissed in-form Paranavitana one run short of his second half-century of the match. Paranavitana nicked a ball that shaped away from him to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. His 58-ball innings included five boundaries, complimenting his 72 in the first innings.
Soon Jayawardene (0) and captain Kumar Sangakkara (14) departed to Aamer in a similar fashion. Tillakaratne Dilshan (22) and Thilan Samaraweera (34) had good starts but they were unable to convert them into big scores under persistent pressure from the Pakistani bowlers.
Aamer returned 3-38 while Ajmal recorded 3-34.
Alam praised his inexperienced bowling attack that includes three debutantes for giving Pakistan the advantage.
"I must congratulate them for the way they have performed," Alam said.
"That's a very good sign to see youngsters coming into the game. They have been given responsibility and they have fulfilled that."
Apart from Aamer and Ajmal who claimed six and five wickets respectively in this match, seam bowler Abdur Rauf also made his debut in the Test and took 3 wickets and scored 31 runs as a night watchman.
The start of play was delayed Monday after overnight rain, and Sri Lanka resumed at 0-0 after surviving one over without loss the previous evening.
On Sunday, Yousuf celebrated his return to Test cricket with 112 runs that helped Pakistan reach 342 all out in its first innings in response to Sri Lanka's 292.
Yousuf was involved in two crucial partnerships with Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik during his innings that brought him his 29th Test hundred.
Seamer Nuwan Kulasekera was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 4-71 while left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara took 2-77.
Pakistan's most senior batsman, Yousuf had been exiled from Test cricket for 19 months after he signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League. But he was recalled by the authorities to tour Sri Lanka after he broke links with the unsanctioned Twenty20 league.
The Test is the first between the sides since a deadly terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team and its security convoy during a Test in Lahore in March.
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