Perera stars in Lanka series win
CLEAN SWEEP Chasing 317, Pakistan bowled out for 248 with spinner Dilruwan Perera taking 598 to make it 20 DUBAI: It was a tough series against India but we learnt a lot from it. The boys executed the game plan really well in this series (against Pakistan).
Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera finished with five wickets to help Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 68 runs in the second Test in Dubai on Tuesday 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 at Dubai stadium.
Asad Shafiq fought hard during his 112-run knock --- his 11th Test hundred --- 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.
This is Pakistan’s first series defeat at their adopted home of United Arab Emirates (UAE) in seven years. They had won five of the previous nine, with four drawn.
Pakistan were forced to play in the neutral venues of the UAE following the deadly terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009.
‘HOME’ DEFEAT
This is also Pakistan’s first home defeat since losing to South Africa 1-0 in 2007, a series held on their grounds, 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 UAE in 2002.
Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal, whose team lost to India 3-0 in August, hailed “a team performance”.
“They put their heart and soul in the practice sessions. It was a tough series against India but we learnt a lot from it. The boys executed the game plan really well in this series. We knew when we came today that Dilruwan and Rangana (Herath) would do the job.”
Pakistan skipper Ahmed was left ruing a tough series.
“It was a tough series for us. We came close in both matches, but we haven’t played good cricket and that’s why we have lost the series,” said Ahmed.
Shafiq was the ninth man out when he edged paceman Suranga Lakmal to slip where Kusal Mendis took a low diving catch to end all Pakistan’s hopes of an upset win.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 482 and 96 vs Pakistan 262 and 248 (overnight 1985) (A Shafiq 112, S Ahmed 68, D Perera 5-98, R Herath 2-57)
LOWEST THIRD INNINGS TOTALS IN TEST WINS
Score Team
Sri Lanka * Declared Opp Pakistan Venue Dubai Season
It was a tough series for us. We came close in both matches, but we haven’t played good cricket and that’s why we have lost the series.
SARFRAZ AHMED, Pakistan captain
2017-18