Saud Shakeel hit an attacking century and, along with overnight partner Agha Salman, helped Pakistan take the lead against Sri Lanka on the third day of the rain-hit first Test on Tuesday.
Shakeel scored 150 with the help of 14 boundaries at a strike rate of over 67, while his overnight partner Agha Salman got out at 83 off Ramesh Mendis.
The tourists reached 365-8 after 84 overs, 50 runs ahead of Sri Lanka’s first innings total, after a delayed start to the day due to rain and a wet outfield in Galle.
Shakeel, playing in his sixth Test, hit a boundary and took three runs to raise his second Test ton in a 177-run stand with Salman.
The pair rescued Pakistan from a precarious 101-5 on day two as they took on the Sri Lankan spinners led by left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya, who rattled the visitors on Monday with three top-order wickets including skipper Babar Azam.
Both Shakeel and Salman scored runs briskly and hit regular boundaries but the run rate dipped after Salman´s departure.
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