An unbeaten hundred by Shoaib Malik took away any Sri Lankan hopes of a 3-0 whitewash in the series after Pakistan fought back admirably to wrestle back the initiative to the tourists on the third day of the third Test Match here at the Singhalese Sports Club ground yesterday. At stumps on day three, Pakistan had reached 300 for five with a lead of 366 runs. The Sri Lankans have never chased more than 352 runs to win a Test Match and if they are to win here, they will have to rewrite history books.

Although the wicket looks good to bat on, having not scored 300 runs even once in the series, it looks a daunting task for the hosts.

As Pakistan finished off an excellent day three, Malik was unbeaten on 106, his second Test hundred; incidentally his previous century too had come against the Sri Lankans at this ground. Providing him solid company was wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal, who reached his half-century just before close of play and the pair added a 100 run stand for the sixth wicket in just 124 balls.

The first session of day-three was a disappointing one for the Pakistanis as they lost three wickets after resuming from the overnight total of 16 for one. They were struggling at 67 for four, but Misbah-ul-Haq and Malik batted the morning session watchfully and then took the attack onto the Sri Lankans in the afternoon session without being separated.

Rangana Herath’s left-arm spin that had looked threatening in both Galle and P. Sara was comfortably dealt with as both batsmen played him with control.

Their partnership of 119 ended when Misbah was caught behind off Angelo Mathews for 65.

Sri Lanka were looking to run through the lower middle-order that had not got many runs in the series, but any of those hopes soon evaporated as Akmal joined his former captain. Runs came easy and fast for the tourists in the last session as they scored as many as 131 runs in 32 overs.

Akaml in particular was in good nick as his unbeaten 60 came in just 68 balls with six boundaries and a six, but the hero of the day for Pakistan undoubtedly was Malik.

Although Pakistan were struggling at 67 for four when Malik walked into bat by the time stumps were drawn on day-three, they had reached 300 for five and were looking good for a lead of over 400.

Last time Pakistan played here, Sri Lanka set them an improbable target of 458 in 121 overs and were set to win the game. But Malik, who was promoted to open the innings played a superb knock, a watchful unbeaten 148 in over eight hours and helped Pakistan to hold on for a draw.

Here with the series already lost and with the team playing for pride, he rose to the occasion admirably and put Pakistan in a very steady position.

It wasn’t however the perfect effort by the Sri Lankans on the field. A stumping chance off Malik went begging when he was on 91 as Sangakkara failed to collect the ball off the bowling of Herath. Later he came down the track to Herath to hoist him inside out over deep extra cover boundary to reach three figures in style.

A catch off Akmal too was put down as Thilan Samaraweera running in from deep extra cover spilled it denying Angelo Mathews a second wicket with just three balls to go for stumps.

Shoaib hit ten fours and a six for his 106 that came in 186 balls.

It was a hard day’s work for the Sri Lankans as just four wickets fell on the day. Sri Lanka opted for the second new ball immediately after it was made available, but it only leaked more runs.

Veteran Chaminda Vaas playing his last Test Match was not called up to bowl until the 32nd over of the innings and even when the second new ball was taken, the other two seamers were preferred over him.

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan 1st Innings 299

Sri Lanka 1st Innings 233

Pakistan 2nd Innings

(Overnight 16-1)

K. Manzoor b Herath 2

F. Alam c & b Thushara 16

Y. Khan lbw b Kulasekera 19

M. Yousuf c Sangakkara b Herath 23

Misbah-ul-Haq c S,kara b Mathews 65

S. Malik not out 106

K. Akmal not out 60

Extras: (6b, 2lb, 1w) 9

TOTAL: (for five wickets) 300

Overs: 95

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-22, 3-54, 4-67, 5-186.

Still to bat: U. Gul, S. Ajmal, M. Aamer, D. Kaneria.

Bowling: Kulasekera 15-5-33-1 (1w), Thushara 19-2-84-1, Herath 37-6-113-2, Vaas 14-6-29-0, Mathews 10-1-33-1.

Umpires: I. Gould,( Eng), S. Taufel, (Aus).

Third umpire: G. Silva, (SL).

Match Referee: A. Hurst, (Aus).

Toss: Sri Lanka.