Close Sri Lanka 94 for 1 (Jayasuriya 47*, Sangakkara 39*) trail Pakistan 234 (Younis Khan 46; Muralitharan 4-56, Buddika 3-84) by 140 runs
scorecard

Sri Lanka made a blistering start in response to Pakistan's total of 234 all out on the opening day of the Asian Test Championship final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Waqar Younis had Marvan Atapattu caught by Shoaib Akhtar off the first delivery of the innings, but Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara stroked and pummelled their way to 94 for 1 in just 21 overs. Jayasuriya hit 47 from 67 balls, including seven fours, while Sangakkara was on 39 off 60 balls.

Earlier, Muttiah Muralitharan made light work of the Pakistan tail after Rashid Latif and Waqar had defied Sri Lanka for an hour, adding 40 runs for the eighth wicket. After bowling Waqar for 19 (216 for 8), Murali had Latif caught behind for 36 (219 for 9). Shoaib Akhtar then threw the bat before Murali trapped him leg before for 15. Pakistan's innings lasted just 67 overs, and was a rude wake-up call after the facile victories against West Indies. Sri Lanka won't be chuffed about the extras they gave away though: 26 no-balls in a total of 31.

It was Charitha Buddika's double strike which saw Pakistan lose three wickets in the middle session. Buddika's first success came soon after lunch when he forced Yousuf Youhana to edge behind to Kumar Sangakkara (127 for 5). Youhana, who has two centuries in his last four Tests, was gone for 6.

Abdur Razzaq adopted a belligerent approach in an attempt to get on top of the bowling. He had hit four boundaries in his 28-ball innings of 24 when he padded up to an inswinging delivery from Chaminda Vaas to be adjudged leg before wicket (147 for 6).

Shoaib Malik and Latif added 29 for the seventh wicket when Buddika returned for a third spell. His re-introduction into the attack proved fruitful as Malik was caught behind for 13 (176 for 6).

Pakistan had earlier lost four wickets in the morning session after being sent in to bat on a grassy track. They lost opener Taufeeq Umar in the fifth over when he failed to keep down a tentative push off Chaminda Vaas and was caught at forward short leg for six (18 for 1). Two balls later, with the score still on 18, Shahid Afridi was run out for 9, after Younis turned down his call for a sharp single.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis then got on top of the bowling. Younis hit two fours and a six in Muralitharan's third over before the offspinner bowled him. He hit eight boundaries and a six during his 90-minute stay.

Pakistan lost Inzamam on the stroke of lunch, at which point they were 108 for 4. Inzamam was caught at slip by Jayasuriya off Buddika for 29 - an over after Muralitharan bowled the prolific Younis for 46 (104 for 3).

Pakistan entered the Test with four seamers in Waqar, Shoaib Akhtar, Razzaq and Mohammad Sami. They dropped offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq and instead played Shoaib Malik.

The match marked the return of international cricket in Pakistan after the September 11 attacks on the United States which triggered security fears in and around Pakistan, a frontline ally in the US-led war in Afghanistan.

Teams
Pakistan 1 Taufeeq Umar, 2 Shoaib Malik, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Inzamam-ul-Haq, 5 Yousuf Youhana, 6 Abdur Razzaq, 7 Rashid Latif (wk), 8 Shahid Afridi, 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Waqar Younis (capt), 11 Mohammad Sami.

Sri Lanka 1 Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), 2 Marvan Atapattu, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Russel Arnold, 6 Hashan Tillekeratne, 7 Thilan Samaraweera, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Muttiah Muralitharan, 10 Charitha Buddika, 11 Nuwan Zoysa.

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