PALLEKELE: Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the third and final Test in Pallekele on Tuesday to win their first series on the island since 2006.

The tourists achieved the sixth highest successful chase in history when they surpassed the target of 377 runs in the post-lunch session of the fifth day’s play, finishing on 382-3.

Younes Khan remained unbeaten on 171, adding 242 for the third wicket with Shan Masood (125) after Pakistan were reduced to 13-2, and 127 for the fourth with skipper Misbah-ul Haq (59 not out).

It was the first time a visiting team had scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test on Sri Lankan soil.

Pakistan had won the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets and Sri Lanka took the second in Colombo by seven wickets.

The tourists finally ended a long streak of not winning in Sri Lanka where they lost the last three series in 2009, 2012 and 2014.