Not on many occasions Sri Lanka have gone 2-0 up in a Test series without ever scoring 300 runs in an innings. This time around they won both their Tests against Pakistan without scoring 300 runs even once and they struggled again in the third Test to be bowled out for 233 in the first innings at SSC. But given five sessions to survive, the batsmen rose to the occasion reaching 391 for five as the Test ended in draw with captain Kumar Sangakkara scoring an unbeaten hundred.

"You can’t ask for more than a series win. We understand that we allowed the opposition back into the game although we could have outplayed them in both games. We need to make sure we tighten those areas," Sangakkara told journalists after the final Test.

The inexperienced Sri Lankan bowling attack did an admirable job in containing the Pakistanis and Sangakkara agreed the batsmen owed the series win to the team’s bowlers. "The bowlers did an exceptional job for us. Their contributions went a long way in giving us this win. The batsmen didn’t stand up until the second innings in this Test Match and we have to be thankful for the bowlers for doing a wonderful job for us."

After Sri Lanka had reached safety at 338 for four at tea yesterday, there were hopes that they would go for the remaining 154 runs in 34 overs whereby they would have established a new World Record by chasing the highest total in Tests. But Sangakkara said that the team decided against having a go at the target due to Tillekeratne Dilshan’s injury. "If Dilshan had been fit, we could have gone for the chase. They started bowling wide of the crease to cut the runs down and bowled to defensive fields. We tried a few things, but when the 15 overs came, they asked should we or should we not call it off and we took the option to go off," Sangakkara, who was named Man of the Match said.

This knock of Sangakkara had lot of similarity to the one in Hobart, where he scored a stunning 192 in a fourth innings run chase and he was asked about the similarities in the two knocks. "These were different situations. I was batting with the number nine there and it was a case of going on and seeing how close you could get. This was different as here we were meant to see off session by session. We are very happy with the way we played and this innings showed that the team is starting to play Test cricket well again."

The Sri Lankans will now get ready for the ODI series against Pakistan. Later, they will host New Zealand in a two match Test series.