Chasing 168, Pakistan were cruising at 71 with eight wickets in hand at stumps on Day Three and two full days to score the remaining 97 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. Ajantha Mendis took his first wicket of the match when he had Khurram Manzoor caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene for 15. Captain Younis Khan did not survive long, trapped lbw by Angelo Mathews for three with the total on 39. Mohammad Yousuf (12 not out) was batting with Salman Butt (28 not out) at stumps.

Sri Lanka resumed their second innings trailing Pakistan by 50 runs but their much-vaunted batting crumbled for just 217. The hosts were in early trouble when opener Malinda Warnapura was out second ball of the day, caught by Younis at slip off Umar Gul. A 68-run partnership followed between Tharanga Paranavitana and Rangana Herath before Younis struck just before lunch, trapping Herath lbw for 15 and Sri Lanka went to lunch on 70-2.

Aamer triggered a collapse in the second session, grabbing three wickets in the space of two runs, dismissing Paranavitana, Jayawardene (0) and captain Kumar Sangakkara (14). Tillakaratne Dilshan (22) and Thilan Samaraweera (34) had good starts but were unable to convert them into big scores under pressure from the Pakistani bowlers. Aamer returned 3/38 while Ajmal took three wickets for 34.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka 292 and 217 Rangana Herath lbw b Khan 15, Malinda Warnapura c Khan b Gul 0, Tharanga Paranavitana c Akmal b Aamer 49, Kumar Sangakkara c Akmal b Aamer 14, Mahela Jayawardene c Akmal b Aamer 0, Thilan Samaraweera c Misbah b Ajmal 34, Tillakaratne Dilshan c Manzoor b Khan 22, Angelo Mathews c Butt b Rauf 27, Nuwan Kulasekera lbw b Ajmal 25, Thilan Thushara not out 15, Ajantha Mendis b Ajmal 1; Extras (7lb, 7nb, 1w) 15; Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-68, 3-86, 4-88, 5-101, 6-138, 7-156, 8-191, 9-211; Bowling: Mohammad Aamer 11-2-38-3, Umar Gul 10-2-62-1, Abdur Rauf 13-1-49-1, Younis Khan 10-1-27-2, Saeed Ajmal 12.2-0-34-3

Pakistan 342 and 71/2 (target 168): Khurram Manzoor c Jayawardene b Mendis 15, Salman Butt batting 28, Younis Khan lbw b Mathews 3, Mohammad Yousuf batting 12; Extras (12b, 1w) 13; Fall of Wickets: 1-36, 2-39; Bowling: Nuwan Kulasekera 5-1-14-0, Thilan Thushara 4-0-9-0, Angelo Mathews 4-0-13-1, Ajantha Mendis 5-0-17-1, Rangana Herath 1-0-6-0