Abu Dhabi: Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah grabbed the key wicket of Dinesh Chandimal to leave Sri Lanka fighting to avoid defeat after the fourth day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The prolific wicket-taker took 2-25 as Sri Lanka struggled to 69-4, needing a rearguard action to save the Test.
Pakistan will be expecting to push for victory in the opening match of a two-Test series on the fifth and final day.
It was tough to negotiate spin on a fourth-day Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch, but despite a 32nd Test five-wicket haul for veteran Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath, Pakistan posted 422 to take a slender three-run lead.
Sri Lanka had made 419 in their first innings.
At the close, Kusal Mendis was batting on 16, with nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal on two, after a day of fluctuating fortunes.
Herath’s 5-93 in 40 overs were well foiled by a brilliant 76 by Test debutant Haris Sohail, as initially it looked as though Sri Lanka would take a first-innings lead.
SCOREBOARD
Sri Lanka first innings: 419
Pakistan first innings (O/n: 266-4):
S Masood b Herath59
S Aslam lbw Perera51
A Ali c Mendis b Herath85
A Shafiq c Thirimanne b Herath39
B Azam c Dickwella b Pradeep28
H Sohail c Lakmal b Pradeep76
S Ahmed b Lakmal18
M Amir lbw Lakmal4
Y Shah c Thirimanne b Herath8
H Ali st Dickwella b Herath29
M Abbas (not out)1
Extras (B-5, LB-9, NB-8, W-2)24
Total (all out, 162.3 overs)422
Fall of wickets: 1-114, 2-116, 3-195, 4-266, 5-294, 6-316, 7-326, 8-340, 9-390.
Bowling: Lakmal 22-5-42-2, Pradeep 25.3-1-77-2, Sundakan 35-7-98-0, Herath 40-12-93-5, Karunaratne 3-1-6-0.
Sri Lanka second innings
D Karunaratne c Masood b Shah10
K Silva lbw Sohail25
L Thirimanne c Sarfraz b Shafiq7
K Mendis (not out)16
D Chandimal c Shafiq b Shah7
S Lakmal (not out)2
Extras (B-1, NB-1)2
Total: (for 4 wkts, 40 overs)69
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-33, 3-51, 4-65.
Bowling: Amir 7-2-14-0, Abbas 6-2-7-0, Shah 14-2-25-2, Hasan 4.2-0-8-0, Shafiq 3.4-0-7-1, Sohail 5-2-7-1
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