Pak sniffs victory despite Fernando fightback

Following in the footsteps of openers Abid Ali and Shan Masood, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam smashed centuries before Pakistan declared its second innings on 555-3.

Chasing 476, Sri Lanka was 212-7 at stumps with Oshada Fernando waging a grim battle with his maiden Test century after being let down by the top order.

Fernando was batting on 102, having studded the gutsy knock with 13 boundaries, with the tourist staring at a series defeat at Karachi’s National Stadium.

The two-match series, which began with a drawn Test in Rawalpindi, marks Pakistan’s first Tests on home soil since the 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore.

Resuming day four on 395-2, Azhar and Babar joined the run-fest as, for only the second time in international cricket, each of the top fourbatsmen got a hundred in thesame innings.

Babar was given lbw on 33 but he reviewed the decision to prolong his knock after replays confirmed an inside edge. Azhar hit Vishwa Fernando for three consecutive boundaries, while Babar meted out a similar treatment to Lahiru Kumara.

Azhar cut Lasith Embuldeniya to bring up his 16th Test hundred and made 118 before the left-arm spinner dismissed him stumped.

Brief scores: Pakistan 191 & 555/3 decl. in 131 overs (S Masood 135, A Ali 174, Azhar Ali 118, B Azam 100*) vs Sri Lanka 271 & 212/7 in 60.1 overs (O Fernando 102*, N Dickwella 65,N Shah 3/31)