Mahela ton puts Sri Lanka on top against Pakistan

DUBAI: Former captain Mahela Jayawardene along with Kaushal Silva and captain Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka take a 153-run lead over Pakistan with six wickets in hand here at Dubai International Cricket Stadium Thursday.

At stumps, Sri Lanka were 318 for four with Jayawardene and Mathews batting on 106 and 42, respectively.

Veteran batsman, who batted very poorly in the first Test at Abu Dhabi last week scoring only five runs including a duck, reached his 32nd Test hundred from 215 balls with twelve boundaries.

Earlier, opening batsman Kaushal Silva narrowly missed out on a maiden century and was out leg before to part-time off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez for 95. It was his second consecutive fifty in his fifth Test as he had made 81 in the second innings of the first Test at Abu Dhabi last week.

Silva added 139 runs with Jayawardene for the fourth wicket partnership after Sri Lanka were reeling at 88 for three as Pakistan struck twice inside the first hour.

Fast bowler Junaid Khan took two wickets and his partner Rahat Ali and Hafeez claimed one wicket each for Pakistan.