Shoaib Malik scored 106 not out and put on two century stands on Wednesday to help Pakistan reach 300 for five and lead by 366 runs over Sri Lanka at stumps on the third day of the final Test. Malik hit 10 boundaries and two sixes in nearly five hours. He added 119 with Misbah-ul-Haq (65) and an unbeaten partnership of 114 with Kamran Akmal (60 not out) as Pakistan bid to deny Sri Lanka a 3-0 series sweep. Akmal’s ninth half-century came off 68 balls, including six boundaries and a six.

Misbah was was the only batsman to be dismissed after the morning session, when three wickets fell. He hit five boundaries and a six in 149 balls before he chased a ball outside off from Angelo Mathews and was caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Pakistan lost their first wicket for the day when opener Fawad Alam on 16 scooped a return catch to bowler Thilan Thushara with six runs added to the overnight score of 16 for one. Captain Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf shared a 32-run partnership before Khan was out lbw for 16 to a poor decision by Ian Gould. Television replays showed that Khan got an inside edge to an inswinger from Nuwan Kulasekera before the ball hit high on his pads. Yousuf was next out for 23, pushing forward to an away-turning delivery by Herath and edging the ball to Sangakkara.

Regular wicketkeeper Tillakaratne Dilshan did not take the field for Pakistan’s second innings because of a fractured finger and a cut on the eyebrow after being hit by a ball while batting on Tuesday. Herath was the best of Sri Lanka’s bowlers in the second innings with figures of two for 113.

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