Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara continued to dominate Pakistan’s bowling on Tuesday as the rain-curtailed second Test headed for a draw.
The hosts, replying to Pakistan’s first innings total of 551-6 declared, took their overnight score of 70-1 to 135 without further loss by lunch on the fourth day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
Dilshan was unbeaten on 60 and Sangakkara was on 72, the pair having put on 124 runs for the second wicket after opener Tharanga Paranavitana had fallen early on Monday.
Both Dilshan and Sangakkara had smashed centuries in the first Test in Galle last week which Sri Lanka won by 209 runs to take the lead in the three-match series.
When Sangakkara reached 60, he become the highest run-getter against Pakistan, surpassing Indian great Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 2,089 runs from 24 Tests.
Sangakkara, who is playing his 15th Test against Pakistan, has already scored eight centuries against them with a top score of 230 in Lahore in March, 2002.
With not even two innings completed on the easy-paced wicket, a draw is on the cards after just 71 of the stipulated 180 overs were bowled on the second and third days due to rain.
More bad weather has been forecast for the rest of the match.
The third Test will be played in Pallekele from July 8.