Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera yesterday finished with five wickets to help Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 68 runs in the second Test in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and take the series 2-0.
Perera had figures of 5-98 as Pakistan, chasing a tough 317 to win, were bowled out for 248 in the second hour of fifth and final day.
Asad Shafiq fought hard during his 112-run knock — his 11th Test century — and together with his skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (68) added 173 for the sixth wicket, but once their partnership was broken Sri Lanka, having already won the first Test by 21 runs in Abu Dhabi, quickly closed in on the victory.
Photo: AFP
It was Pakistan’s first series defeat at their adopted home of the United Arab Emirates in seven years. They had won five of the previous nine, with four drawn.
Pakistan were forced to play at the neutral venue following a deadly terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore in 2009.
It was also Pakistan’s first home defeat since losing to South Africa 1-0 in 2007, a series held on home soil, and only the second whitewash in their history.
They previously suffered a 3-0 defeat against Australia, a series also played at neutral venues in Colombo and the United Arab Emirates in 2002.
Shafiq was the ninth man out when he edged paceman Suranga Lakmal to slip where Kusal Mendis took a low diving catch to all but end Pakistan’s hopes of an upset win.
Shafiq’s 253-minute knock had 10 boundaries, but he again failed to help Pakistan cross the line, just like his 137 in the lost cause against Australia in Brisbane last year.
Perera then completed his five-wicket haul when he trapped Mohammad Amir — unable to bowl in the second innings due to a shin injury — leg before wicket for 4, bringing Sri Lanka within three wickets of victory.
Yasir Shah was cleaned up by Rangana Herath while the victory was brought up when Herath had Wahab Riaz caught gleefully by skipper Dinesh Chandimal for 1.
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