Dilruwan spins Sri Lanka to series win

Sri Lanka became the first team to beat Pakistan in a Test series in the UAE after a 68-run victory in the second Test in Dubai for a two-nil series win.
Pakistan came into the final day needing another 119 runs to win but only had five wickets in the bank although they had Asad Shafiq (86*) and captain Sarfraz Ahmed (57*) at the crease in a partnership that was worth 146.
The duo pushed their stand past the 150 mark with Shafiq going to his 11th Test century as the 317-run target came closer.
However, with 92 runs still needed Sri Lanka off-spinner Dilruwan Perera broke the 173-run stand when he had the Pakistan skipper caught at deep square-leg for 68.
Perera then struck again – to claim his fourth five-wicket haul in his 22nd Test – not long after as Mohammad Amir was trapped in front for four as Sri Lanka closed in on a morale-boosting series win.
It was fell away pretty quickly after that as Yasir Shah (5) was stumped by Niroshan Dickwella off the bowling of left-arm spinner Rangana Herath before the win was confirmed as Shafiq edged seamer Suranga Lakmal to the slips to be out for 112.
It was Herath who got the final wicket as Wahab Riaz (1) top-edged to give Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal the chance to take the wining catch.
Perera finished with figures of 5-98 in 26 overs while Herath took 2-57 in 22.2 overs.
Sri Lanka were put on the front foot in the game when they amassed 482 in the first innings – thanks mainly to 196 from opener Dimuth Karunaratne – before bowling Pakistan out for just 262.
Pakistan fought back to dismiss their opponents for just 96 to set up an intriguing fourth innings but Sri Lanka built on their 21-run win on Abu Dhabi in the first Test.
Latest
-
News
Dom Sibley set for spell out with broken finger
Sibley will soon be working with former England batsman Jonathan Trott
-
News
National selector Ed Smith to leave England and Wales Cricket Board
The role is being abolished.
-
News
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone flies home from IPL over ‘bubble fatigue’
The 27-year-old has yet to feature for the Rajasthan Royals during the current tournament.
-
News
England hopeful Ollie Robinson stars as Sussex defeat Glamorgan by eight wickets
The visitors passed their target of 154 to win thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from Aaron Thomason and Tom Clark.
-
News
Ollie Pope hits 245 as Surrey take upper-hand over Leicestershire on day three
England batsmen Ollie Pope and Joe Root hit red-ball centuries for their county.
-
News
Mohammad Abbas hat-trick puts Hampshire in command against Middlesex
Lancashire’s Matt Parkinson produced a ball of the century contender against Northamptonshire.
-
News
Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj earn first BCCI contracts
Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have suffered contract demotions.
-
News
Dom Sibley injury adds to England’s worries with Ben Stokes facing 12 weeks out
Stokes was injured playing in the IPL while Sibley was in County Championship action with Warwickshire.
-
News
Can England cope without talisman Ben Stokes against New Zealand this summer?
All-rounder Stokes faces up to 12 weeks out with a fractured finger.
-
News
Ben Stokes ruled out for up to three months with broken finger
The England all-rounder will have surgery on the injury picked up playing in the Indian Premier League.