ABU DHABI: Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath took the last three wickets in four balls to help prevent Pakistan from running up an insurmountable first-innings lead on the third day of the first test.

Pakistan, resuming at 327-4, lost its last six wickets for 56 runs and was dismissed for 383 thanks to lively bowling from Sri Lanka seamers Shaminda Eranga (3-80) and Herath (3-93).

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq added 30 to his overnight 105 but got little support from the tailenders before he was the last man to be dismissed by Herath.

Misbah faced 306 balls, hitting 16 fours and a six in his just over seven hours of marathon knock. Younis Khan (136) helped pad Pakistan's lead on Wednesday as he captured his 23rd test century.

Sri Lanka, which was bowled out for 204, needed early wickets to keep Pakistan's lead in check and Suranga Lakmal provided the breakthrough in the fourth over when Asad Shafiq clipped the ball straight to Kaushal Silva at short mid-wicket.

Adnan Akmal (6) and Bilawal Bhatti (14) also didn't last long before they edged to Eranga and Angelo Mathews, respectively. With Misbah quickly losing partners, he tried to score quickly and hit his first six of the innings off Herath over mid-wicket.

But Herath tightened the pressure on Pakistan in his 19th over when he had Saeed Ajmal leg before wicket and then clean bowled Rahat Ali off successive deliveries for noughts.

Junaid Khan survived the hat-trick ball, but Herath wrapped up the innings in the next over when Misbah was caught by Kumar Sangakkara on the edge of long-on boundary.

Sri Lanka openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva negotiated the one over in the second innings before lunch and will resume at 2-0.