KARACHI, 2 November 2004 — Pakistan leveled the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a fighting last-day victory yesterday, thanks to a 10-wicket haul to leg spinner Danish Kaneria and a timely half century from Shoaib Malik.
Sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Faisalabad, set Pakistan a tricky run chase of 137 to win in 50 overs after overhauling a first innings deficit of 270 runs and making 406 in their second time at the crease.
Pakistan started disastrously and slipped to 57-4 after losing Imran Farhat for 19, Yasir Hameed for 15, Yousuf Youhana for one and Younis Khan for 14.
With skipper Inzamam ul-Haq remaining in the changing rooms with a back injury, it was left to all-rounder Malik and Abdul Razzaq to steer the hosts to victory.
Malik remained unbeaten on 53 with Razzaq on 35 to finish the match with a fifth wicket stand of 82.
After racing to 31 in the ninth over, opener Farhat edged Sri Lankan strike bowler Chaminda Vaas to slip, setting the stage for a double strike from left arm spinner Rangana Herath.
Herath removed Hameed, the other opener, when Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu snapped up a catch at cover. In his next over Herath trapped Youhana leg before wicket for one to leave Pakistan reeling at 47-3.
Atapattu then pulled off a stunning diving catch at extra cover to send Khan back to the pavilion on 14 and give Vaas his second wicket of the innings.
It could have been even worse for Pakistan had wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara held on to a low catch from Razzaq off Vaas’ next over.
Pakistan would have had a much more difficult run chase if was not for the heroics of Kaneria, who finished with 7-118 off 60 overs in the second innings to finish with match figures of 10-190.
The 23-year-old Kaneria was forced to assume the leading strike bowler’s role for Pakistan in the absence of injured new ball bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
Kaneria took the scalps of six of Sri Lanka’s top seven batsmen in the second innings, with No. 3 Kumar Sangakkara the only batsman not to fall victim.
After top scoring for Sri Lanka with 138, Sangakkara eventually nicked a delivery from medium pacer Rana Naveed ul-Hassan to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal on Sunday.
“I am happy that I fulfilled the confidence put in me in the absence of the frontline bowlers. I wanted to be the strike bowler and it’s a nice feeling to be one,” Kaneria said.
The home team’s win stopped Sri Lanka from recording a hat trick of away series wins over Pakistan, having won the two previous series here in 1995 and 1999.
“I am happy that the boys showed a lot of character after being a Test down,” said a delighted Inzamam, who made 117 in the second innings.
“It’s always tough to lift yourselves and with a new look attack we managed to dismiss Sri Lanka for 208 in the first innings, which gave us the edge.”
Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu said he was generally satisfied with his team’s performance in Pakistan.
“It’s a bit disappointing not to have won the series but overall I am happy the way the team did on this tour,” he said.
