GALLE: Leg-spinner Yasir Shah took career-best figures of seven for 76 to help Pakistan to a convincing ten wicket win over Sri Lanka on Sunday in Galle.
After Yasir's effort helped Pakistan to bowl out Sri Lanka for 206 in their second innings, the tourists started the run chase after tea and knocked off the target of 90 runs in 47 minutes requiring just 11.2 overs. Mohammad Hafeez smashed 46 off 33 balls with six fours and a six while Ahmed Shehzad finished on 43 not out in 35 balls with six boundaries.
It was Pakistan's first win in Sri Lanka since 2006 and their first win in Galle in 15 years.
Yasir, who had taken two wickets in the first innings, spun the ball sharply and the steep bounce on the Galle surface gave the batsmen immense problems.
Shah had delivered a killer blow when he dismissed star batsman Kumar Sangakkara cheaply on day four and he continued to torment the batsmen in the afternoon session. After lunch he picked up five wickets for 26 runs as Sri Lanka collapsed from 144 for four to 203 all out.
Shah's figures are the best by a leg-spinner in Sri Lanka, improving on Shane Warne's seven for 94 against Pakistan during the neutral test in 2002 at P. Sara Oval.
Sri Lanka lost night watchman Dilruwan Perera to the first ball of the morning.
Vice-captain Lahiru Thirimanne and opener Dimuth Karunaratne then helped Sri Lanka to get past the deficit. Desperate for a wicket, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq introduced strike bowler Wahab Riaz to the attack and he struck immediately by getting the outside edge of Thirimanne's bat when on 44.
Sri Lanka then lost Angelo Mathews straight after lunch in controversial fashion. The Sri Lanka captain was ruled out caught at short leg but he immediately called for a review. However, there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the original decision.
Opener Karunaratne had been solid in defence and played exceptionally well. But after four and half hours at the crease, he lost concentration to give Yasir the charge and was stumped by Sarfraz Ahmed.
In total there were three stumpings in the Sri Lankan innings as wicketkeeper Sarfraz was neat with his glove work.
It was a remarkable effort by Pakistan after four full sessions of play were lost due to rain.
