A devastating spell by Mohammad Asif left Sri Lanka reeling on 73-8 in their second innings of the second cricket Test as the Pakistani seam bowler grabbed his first 10-wicket haul in a Test match.
Coming in to bowl while his team were 109 runs behind in the second innings, Asif bowled Upul Tharanga (12), Kumar Sangakkara (16) and Thilan Samaraweera (4). Later he trapped Ferveez Maharoof lbw and had Tillakaratne Dilshan caught by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to finish the second day with 5-27 after a sensational spell.
At stumps the hosts were 73-8 with an overall 182-run lead with one second-innings wicket remaining, with Sanath Jayasuriya unlikely to bat because of injury.
Earlier in the day ace offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed five wickets to put Sri Lanka in a strong position in the Test before Pakistan’s quick bowlers fought to keep their hopes alive.
It was a bowlers’ paradise at Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy as 20 wickets fell during the day.
Muralitharan’s 5-39 helped Sri Lanka dismiss Pakistan for 170 and earn a comfortable first-innings lead after being dismissed for 279 in their first innings. Seamer Nuwan Kulasekera recorded 2-45.
Jayasuriya, playing in his last Test match, cut and dislocated his right thumb when he took a catch to dismiss Imran Farhat (23) at gully. He is unlikely to take any further part in the match, team physiotherapist Tommy Simsek said.
Earlier in the day, Asif captured the two overnight Sri Lankan first innings wickets after the hosts resumed the day on 267-8.
Legspinner Danish Kaneria bowled a fine supporting spell to record 4-53. — Sapa-AP