- Rangana Herath took six for 43 as Sri Lanka’s won a dramatic Test with Pakistan
- The spinner picked up his 400th Test scalp with the wicket of Mohammad Abbas
- Sri Lanka bowled Pakistan out for 114 to secure a remarkable 21-run victory
- Herath and fellow finger spinner Dilruwan Perera (three for 46) did the damage
Rangana Herath made history as the first left-arm spinner to reach 400 Test wickets as Sri Lanka bowled Pakistan out for 114 to pull off a remarkable 21-run win in Abu Dhabi.
Sri Lanka’s hopes of inflicting a first ever defeat on the hosts at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium appeared slim after they were bowled out themselves for 138 and could therefore set Pakistan only 136 to win.
But veteran Herath (six for 43) and his fellow finger spinner Dilruwan Perera (three for 46) had other ideas.
Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath picked up his 400th Test wicket in their win over Pakistan
The left-arm bowler took reached the milestone with the wicket of No 11 Mohammad Abbas
Sri Lanka resumed on 69 for four on the final morning and doubled that total for the loss of their last six wickets as leg-spinner Yasir Shah (five for 51) did most damage.
Niroshan Dickwella remained defiant, however, and when Pakistan’s batsmen then hit almost immediate trouble it became clear the Sri Lanka wicketkeeper’s unbeaten 40 could well be significant.
So it proved as Herath finished the match with his 400th wicket when No 11 Mohammad Abbas was last out lbw, and it will be Sri Lanka who start the second and final Test with a 1-0 lead in Dubai on Friday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 114 thanks to Herath’s six wickets and three for Dilruwan Perera