Seven-star Yasir leads Pakistan to Test win

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed a career-best seven for 76 as Pakistan stunned Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the first Test on Sunday  to take the lead in the three-match series.

Yasir spun <g data-gr-id="21">a web</g> around the Sri Lankan batsmen to skittle them for a paltry 206 in their second innings just before tea on the fifth and final day.

Pakistan, set a victory target of 90, raced home in 11.2 overs with Mohammad Hafeez unbeaten on 46 and Ahmed Shehzad on 43 at the Galle International Stadium.

It was Pakistan’s first Test win in Sri Lanka since the eight-wicket triumph in Kandy in 2006. The second Test starts at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Thursday. Pakistan’s remarkable recovery from 96-5 in the first innings came after the entire first day’s play had been washed out and just 64 overs were bowled on the second day.

Opener <g data-gr-id="28">Dimuth</g> Karunaratne top-scored with 79, Lahiru Thirimanne made 44 <g data-gr-id="24"><g data-gr-id="29">and and</g> Dinesh</g> Chandimal was last man out for 38, but the rest of the batsmen folded against Pakistan’s incisive bowling.

The 29-year-old Yasir ripped through the batting as Sri Lanka lost their last five wickets for 39 runs after being 167 for five at one stage. Sri Lanka took their overnight score of 63-2 to 144-4 by lunch, before a further six wickets fell on a dramatic afternoon in front of some 1,000 home fans. 

The hosts lost nightwatchman <g data-gr-id="27">Dilruwan</g> Perera off the first ball of the day, clean-bowled by Yasir, but the left-handed pair of Karunaratne and Thirimanne put on 69 runs for the fourth wicket.

With the hosts just 15 runs ahead, left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz had Thirimanne caught low at first slip by Younis Khan to keep the interest alive during the lunch break.