LONDON, England (BBC) – Sri Lanka needed only three days to beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the second Test and win the series.

The visitors lost nine wickets for 35 runs as they went from 285-1 to 320 all out in their second innings in Colombo.

Sri Lanka secured the 171 runs they needed in 32 overs to clinch the series with one Test remaining.

Fawad Alam hit 168 for Pakistan, while Younus Khan added 82, but the latter’s dismissal prompted a dramatic collapse, spinner Rangana Herath taking 5-99.

Seamer Nuwan Kulasekara grabbed 4-37 to finish with match figures of 8-58.

Opening for the hosts, Malinda Warnapura set up the win with a quick-fire 54 off 56 balls for his seventh Test half-century.

Captain Kumar Sangakkara said: “It’s a very special win and something that all of us wanted, but we didn’t expect to win in this fashion.

“They have been two very absorbing Test matches with the balance swinging this way and that between the two sides.

“But I think the key for us was that whenever we needed someone to step up and take responsibility there was always someone to put his hand up.”

Younus put his side’s failure down to their recent lack of Test cricket because of safety issues in Pakistan.

“It wasn’t the first time we have collapsed,” he said. “The problem I think is the fact that we haven’t played much Test cricket in the last couple of years.

“Everyone knows Test cricket is a massive test of skill.”

Sri Lanka, celebrating their first home series win over Pakistan, will target a 3-0 whitewash when the third Test starts at the Sinhalese sports club on July 20.

There was no sign of the drama to come when Pakistan reached 294-2 at lunch, as they looked to continue their recovery from their opening-day batting collapse to 90 all out.

Debutant opener Alam, who was unbeaten on 102 overnight, shared a second-wicket stand of 200 with skipper Younus, a record for Pakistan against Sri Lanka.

Younus lost his wicket just before lunch, top-edging a reverse sweep off part-time spinner Tharanga Paranavitana to wicketkeeper Tillakaratne Dilshan.

But Sangakkara’s decision to hand Herath the second new ball after lunch proved decisive.

Herath trapped Mohammad Yousuf lbw with his second ball and then ended Alam’s long stay at the crease as the batsman edged an easy catch to short leg.

Kulasekara then won lbw decisions against Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal and Abdur Rauf to end the innings.

Sri Lanka’s reply got off to a solid start as left-hander Warnapura reached his half-century from 44 deliveries.

Sangakkara (46) took up the chase until he fell with his team just 11 short of victory.

Mahela Jayawardene (37 not out) and Thilan Samaraweera (six not out) led the home side to victory.