Sangakkara double keeps series level
Kumar Sangakkara's eighth double hundred allowed Sri Lanka to save the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.
Kumar Sangakkara's eighth double hundred allowed Sri Lanka to save the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi after they'd been staring down the barrel for the first three days of the match.
Pakistan were left to regret five dropped catches in Sri Lanka's second innings, four in the first session of day four when the Test was very much there for the taking.
Sangakkara was put down twice in that period, and made Misbah-ul-Haq's side pay as he went on to score 211 in Sri Lanka's total of 483.
By the time Sri Lanka were finally dismissed, Pakistan need 170 to win in 20 overs, and they were forced to settle for the draw as they reached 21 for one before the two sides shook hands.
Sangakkara now has the third most double tons in the history of the game – only Brian Lara, with nine, and Sir Donald Bradman, with 12, have more than the Sri Lankan.
Meanwhile Prasanna Jayawardene registered his fourth Test hundred as he put on the key partnership in the match with Sangakkara, adding 201 runs over the course of three sessions.
Sri Lanka had resumed on 298 for five on the final morning and settled the nerves with a wicketless opening session, which gave them an overall lead of 50 at the lunch break.
Sangakkara went to the double shortly after the break, but finally fell when he became Azhar Ali's first Test victim as he was trapped lbw.
That opened the gates somewhat, as Sri Lanka lost their last five wickets for 39 runs. Jayawardene was stopped on 120 eight overs later after a patient innings as he was caught behind off the bowling of Aizaz Cheema.
Rangana Herath finished on 23 not out, while Umar Gul grabbed two tail-end wickets to finish with the admirable figures of 4 for 64.
It was all too late for Pakistan though, and all that was left was for Chanaka Welegedera to trap Taufeeq Umar lbw as the match petered out in tame fashion.
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