Veteran Kumar Sangakkara scored an unbeaten 140 as Sri Lanka made Pakistan’s bowlers toil for wickets on the fourth day of the first Test in Galle on Saturday.
The hosts plodded from their overnight score of 252-2 to 338-3 by lunch, still trailing Pakistan’s first innings total of 451 by 113 runs with seven wickets in hand.
With just 13 wickets having fallen so far on the slow pitch at the Galle International Stadium, the opening match of the two-Test series was heading towards a draw.
Sri Lanka lost a wicket off the day’s third delivery when Mahela Jayawardene was adjudged leg-before to left-arm seamer Junaid Khan.
Umpire Ian Gould turned down a loud shout from the bowler, but Pakistan earned a positive verdict after appealing for a review from the third umpire. Replays showed the ball hitting the top of the off-stump.
Jaywardene, who is due to quit Test cricket after the series ends in Colombo later this month, made 59 in a third-wicket stand of 113 with Sangakkara.
