Imam stands firm on last day for Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka by 4 wickets in Galle

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Pakistan was made to sweat before beating Sri Lanka by four wickets before lunch on the fifth day of the first cricket test on Thursday.

Pakistan lost three wickets in the morning but opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq's unbeaten 50 saw the visitors win a match it dominated from day three.

Chasing 131 to win, Pakistan started the day on 48-3, needing 83 more runs and with memories of the 2009 test at Galle. That’s when the visitors needed 97 runs with eight wickets in hand chasing a target of 168 and were bowled out for 117.

Babar Azam and Imam combined for 41 runs for the fourth wicket and the run chase looked a mere formality, but Prabath Jayasuriya trapped the captain for 24.

Imam and Saud Shakeel then shared 43 runs for the fifth wicket. Shakeel, the double-century-maker from the first innings, scored 30 from 38 balls when he was caught behind off Ramesh Mendis. But Pakistan needed only nine more runs.

Jayasuriya claimed his fourth wicket of the innings when Sarfraz Ahmed, attempting to sweep, was caught at backward square leg by Kusal Mendis.

But Imam was immovable, making 50 from 84 deliveries, hitting four fours and one six in his 11th test fifty.

Agha Salman walked in at the fall of the sixth wicket with Pakistan needing four runs and he completed the victory by depositing Jayasuriya over long-off for six.

Sri Lanka won the toss and scored 312 and 279. Pakistan replied with a first knock of 461, including an unbeaten 208 by Shakeel under pressure in his sixth test.

“Saud Shakeel was unbelievable." Babar said. "We lost early wickets in the first innings but the way he absorbed the pressure was superb. His effort helped us to get ahead of the game. Very satisfied with the way he went about things. Galle is not an easy wicket to bat but he made it look easy.”

Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne praised his deputy Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored 122 and 82.

“We have to learn from Dhananjaya," Karunaratne said. "He showed how to bat when the bowling is on top. If someone had taken responsibility and hung around with him, we could have posted decent totals. To win the toss and not to score big when conditions were best for batting was so disappointing.”

The second test begins on Monday in Colombo.

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