Close Pakistan 193 for 5 (Afridi 70, Inzamam 38*, Muralitharan 3-39) and 234 trail Sri Lanka 528 (Sangakkara 230, Jayasuriya 88, Jayawardene 68, Sami 4-120) by 101 runs
scorecard

Sri Lanka moved a giant step closer to clinching the Asian Test Championship. At close of play on the third day, Pakistan had lost five second-innings wickets and needed a further 101 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Crucially, Muttiah Muralitharan came into his own after an indifferent start, taking the last three wickets to fall, and finishing the day with figures of 3 for 39 from 15 overs.

Shahid Afridi scored a breezy 70, with nine fours and a huge six in Muralitharan's first over, but a rush of blood cost him his wicket, and then Muralitharan stamped his class on the innings. His first six overs cost 25; his next nine fetched him three wickets for just 14. Inzamam-ul-Haq continued to wage a lone battle, and was undefeated on a dogged 38.

Earlier, Mohammad Sami collected his second hat-trick in international cricket, and his first in Tests, cleaning up the last three wickets. Sri Lanka still amassed 528, a first-innings lead of 294.

Pakistan made an uncertain start in their second innings. Taufeeq Umar was bowled by Chaminda Vaas (31 for 1) and Younis Khan was caught by a diving Thilan Samaraweera at square-leg. Both batsmen made 19, and the score was then 66, but Inzamam and Afridi got together for an entertaining 84-run partnership.

Afridi went after the bowlers, and Charitha Buddika suffered the most. He was hit for three fours in one over, and went for 49 in nine. The fun ended when Afridi charged down the track at a straighter one from Murali, missed, and was stumped (150 for 3).

Yousuf Youhana left in uncharacteristic fashion, hoicking Muralitharan to Marvan Atapattu for 7 (166 for 4). It soon became 181 for 5 when Abdur Razzaq was trapped in front for 5. Inzamam and Shoaib Malik saw off the last seven overs, when the umpires finally called off play.

Having resumed this morning at 447 for 5, Vaas and Hashan Tillekeratne added 54. Vaas did most of the scoring, taking fours off consecutive balls from Waqar Younis. His 43 came from just 67 balls, but he fell to a catch by Taufeeq Umar square-leg off Abdur Razzaq (501 for 6).

Samaraweera was caught down the leg side by Rashid Latif off Shoaib Akhtar for 8 (519 for 7), before Sami got into his act.

Off the last ball before lunch, he trapped Buddika lbw for 7 (528 for 8). On resumption of play after a one-hour lunch break for the Friday prayers, he had Nuwan Zoysa lbw with a full delivery, and then shattered Muralitharan's stumps as the batsman attempted an ungainly hoick to leg.

The hat-trick should have inspired Pakistan's batsmen, but by close of play, Sri Lanka were in sight of a comprehensive victory.

Teams
Pakistan 1 Taufeeq Umar, 2 Shahid Afridi, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Inzamam-ul-Haq, 5 Yousuf Youhana, 6 Abdur Razzaq, 7 Shoaib Malik, 8 Rashid Latif (wk), 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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