COLOMBO: Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Naseem Shah shared seven wickets between them as Pakistan bowled Sri Lanka out for 166 on the first day of the second Test on Monday.
Dhananjaya de Silva top-scored with 57 before Pakistan, who lead the two-match series 1-0, wrapped up the innings in the second session after the hosts elected to bat in Colombo.
Number eight Ramesh Mendis made a useful lower-order contribution of 27 before falling to Abrar and officials called the tea break.
Sri Lanka were in early trouble at 36-4 after play started 30 minutes late due to overnight and early morning rain.
De Silva, who made 122 and 82 in Sri Lanka's first Test loss, attempted to hit back in a quickfire knock. He shared a fifth-wicket stand of 85 runs with Dinesh Chandimal, who made 34.
Naseem, who took three wickets, broke the stand after he got Chandimal caught by Imam-ul-Haq.
Pakistan's Naseem Shah, right, unsuccessfully appeals for the wicket of Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva during the day one of the second cricket test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka on July 24, 2023. (AP)
Abrar, who returned figures of 4-69, soon got going with two quick wickets, including de Silva's, to dent Sri Lanka's hopes of a turnaround.
De Silva reached his 13th Test fifty and then hit a six off Abrar before the spinner had his revenge by getting him caught at mid-wicket.
De Silva batted with freedom, hitting nine fours and a six in his 68-ball innings.
Opener Nishan Madushka began with a four off Shaheen Shah Afridi's fourth ball of the opening over but was run out without adding to his score after being called for a sharp single by skipper Dimuth Karunaratne.
Left-arm quick Shaheen soon removed Kusal Mendis for six before Naseem got rid of Sri Lanka's two most experienced batsmen within the space of eight balls.
Naseem ended a scratchy nine-run knock from Angelo Mathews when he had the former captain caught behind and then bowled the left-handed Karunaratne off an inside edge for 17.
Babar Azam's Pakistan won the rain-hit opening Test by four wickets in Galle.
Pakistan's captain Babar Azam (2nd right) and his Sri Lankan counterpart Dimuth Karunaratne (2nd left) watch the coin during the toss before the start of the second test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds in Colombo on July 24, 2023. (Photo courtesy: PCB)
