Sri Lanka has managed to pull off a draw in the third and the final test match at SSC in Colombo, batting out the day and losing only one wicket in the progress. With this, Sri Lanka has managed to win the test series 2-0.
The hosts had ended the fourth day at 183/3, which meant that they needed 309 runs to win off a possible 90 overs, but the more possible chance was that of Pakistan clinching the last seven wickets on a fifth day wicket which had begun to assist spinners even more. Also, with Tillakaratne Dilshan in a totally injured state – he had 14 stitches on his head and a broken finger – it had been said that he would come out to bat only if absolutely necessary.
Kumar Sangakkara, who was batting on 50 overnight was said to be Lanka’s last hope, along Thilan Samaraweera, both of whom were the hosts’ last recognised batsmen, if one were to discount the injured Dilshan. The pair had looked good overnight, but Danish Kaneria had been spinning the ball rather well, making it difficult for the batsmen.
Rather surprisingly, Younus Khan did not open the day with the danger-man, Kaneria, instead opting to bowl Umar Gul. Gul bowled only three overs and was taken off the attack, but that did nothing to break the concentration of the two batsmen, who looked to have set up their camp for the day. It took nine overs into the day for Kaneria to be called in, but even the two spinners bowling in tandem could not remove the duo.
Sri Lanka did not lose a single wicket before lunch and went into the break at 262/3; the target looked increasingly difficult, but the chances of a draw materialising looked better.
Post lunch, Samaraweera suffered a bout of cramps and in a couple of overs, also an edge off Ajmal to give an easy catch to Kamran Akmal behind the stumps as Lanka lost their first wicket of the day.
However, if this was supposed to bring some respite for the Pakistanis, it did not actually go that way, as all-rounder, Angelo Mathew dug out and batted with Sangakkara for the rest of the match. Sangakkara, on his part got to his hundred, where as Mathew brought up his half century, and the hosts did not lose any further wicket to end the innings on 391/4 before the stumps were drawn.
Sangakkara was named the man-of-the-match for his gritty match-saving innings, where as Kulasekera won the man-of-the-series award.