Sri Lanka close in on series sweep

Aug 17, 2014

Fans geared up on the penultimate day at the SSC in large numbers to see Mahela Jayawardene bat for the final time in Test cricket•AFP

Jayawardene struck eight fours in his final Test innings and raised a 50th half-century•AFP

Ajmal then picked up his third scalp of the day, bowling Lahiru Thirimanne out for 10, as Sri Lanka fell to 212 for 5•AFP

Jayawardene's day would get even better, as he pouched two catches at slips, taking his overall tally to 205•AFP

The hosts, however, were dealt an early blow when Saeed Ajmal sniped a threatening 107-run stand between Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene - the pair's 19th century partnership - by dismissing Sangakkara for 59 just three overs into the day•AFP

Ajmal, however, struck again, luring Jayawardene out for a shot which the batsman misread and hit to Ahmed Shehzad for a catch near midwicket•AFP

Angelo Mathews' unbeaten 43 kept Sri Lanka ticking, but Wahab Riaz struck thrice with the old ball and the hosts were eventually bowled out for 282•AFP

Rangana Herath, who had finished with nine first-innings wicket, was once again Pakistan's chief tormentor•AFP

With 11,814 Test runs, Jayawardene was all smiles as he walked back to call time on an enormously successful career•Associated Press

Pakistan needed 271 for victory, but Dhammika Prasad asserted Sri Lanka's advantage by removing the openers cheaply inside six overs•AFP

The left-arm spinner wrecked Pakistan's middle order, snaring four wickets and increasing his tally for the series to 22, as Pakistan ended the day precariously placed at 127 for 7•AFP