COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara were closing in on centuries in successive matches on Tuesday as the rain-curtailed second Test against Pakistan headed for a draw.
The hosts, replying to Pakistan's first innings total of 551-6 declared, took their overnight score of 70-1 to 178 without further loss by tea on the fourth day at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
Dilshan was unbeaten on 85 and Sangakkara was on 90, as the pair put on 167 runs for the second wicket after opener Tharanga Paranavitana fell for zero on Monday.
Sangakkara scored an unbeaten 199 and Dilshan made 101 in the first Test in Galle last week which Sri Lanka won by 209 runs to take the lead in the three-match series.
Rain allowed just 17 overs to be sent down in the post-lunch session after bad weather on the previous two days restricted play to only 71 of the stipulated 180 overs.
More rain has been forecast for the final day on Wednesday.
When Sangakkara reached 60, he become the highest run-getter against Pakistan, surpassing Indian great Sunil Gavaskar's tally of 2,089 runs from 24 Tests.
Sangakkara, who is playing his 15th Test against Pakistan, has already scored eight centuries against them with a top score of 230 in Lahore in March, 2002.
Scoreboard:
Pakistan 1st innings 551-6 declared (Mohammad Hafeez 196, Taufeeq Umar 65, Azhar Ali 157, Misbah-ul Haq 66 not out, R. Herath 3-164)
Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 70-1):
T. Paranavitana c Azhar b Junaid 0
T. Dilshan not out 85
K. Sangakkara not out 90
Extras: (lb3) 3
Total (for one wicket, 56 overs) 178
Fall of wicket: 1-11 (Paranavitana).
Bowling: Cheema 12-4-46-0, Junaid 12-2-41-1, Ajmal 15-0-47-0, Rehman 12-2-28-0, Hafeez 5-0-13-0.
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Simon Taufel (AUS)
TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
The third Test will be played in Pallekele from July 8.