Ajmal grabs 5-68 as Sri Lanka slip to defeat
SAEED Ajmal took five wickets as another disappointing batting performance saw Sri Lanka slip to a nine-wicket defeat against Pakistan in the second Test in Dubai. Tharanga Paranavitana (72) and Angelo Mathews (52 not out) both scored half-centuries in a tortuous Sri Lanka second innings, which saw them dismissed for 257 in nearly 110 overs with off-spinner Ajmal claiming five for 68.
That left Pakistan needing 94 for victory and they put their foot down – in a manner Sri Lanka had conspicuously failed to match – to win with a day to spare thanks to a speedy unbeaten 59 from Mohammad Hafeez.
Only seven runs had been added to their overnight score of 88 when Kumar Sangakkara was out lbw to Abdur Rehman. Sangakkara trudged off for 30, but things were about to get worse.
Mahela Jayawardene faced 34 balls but never looked settled, making five before Ajmal fooled him with a delivery that hit leg stump. One over later, Tillakaratne Dilshan was sent back for just three, struck on the pads by Junaid Khan to leave Sri Lanka on 116 for four.
The only bright spot for the tourists was the continued presence of Paranavitana, who had moved on to 64 after a morning session where his side mustered a miserly 37 runs, but he added just eight after the restart before edging Ajmal to Younus Khan at slip.
With the run rate well below two an over, Mathews livened up proceedings by hammering Rehman for six over long on. But an over later the new ball was taken and with it Junaid drew a mistimed pull from Kaushal Silva – who moments earlier had found the boundary with a similar shot to take his side into the lead – which nestled in the hands of Ajmal.
Thereafter Mathews and Prasad used the pace of the new ball to up the rate, hitting boundaries with some regularity, but it only served to emphasise the negativity of Sri Lanka’s approach up to that point.
Prasad fell for 33, bowled by Rehman in the over after tea, and, though Mathews turned Ajmal to the fine-leg boundary to reach 50, the writing was on the wall. Ajmal removed Rangana Herath and Chanaka Welegedara in the same over, before bowling Suranga Lakmal to give him his fifth wicket and wrap up the Sri Lanka innings.
It left Mathews stranded on 52 and Pakistan needing 94, which they duly knocked off for the loss of only Taufeeq Umar, bowled off his legs while offering no stroke. Hafeez scored 59 from 64 balls while, as if to show up Sri Lanka’s lacklustre efforts, the normally defence-minded Azhar Ali carted Dilshan for one big six in making 29. (PA Sport)

SRI LANKA first innings 239
PAKISTAN first innings (o/n 281-4)
M. Hafeez lbw b Prasad    33
T. Umar c Silva b Prasad    27
A. Ali lbw b Dilshan    100
Y. Khan b Dilshan    55
Misbah-ul-Haq c Jayawardene b Welegedara    41
S. Ajmal c Mathews b Welegedara    20
A. Shafiq c Jayawardene b Prasad    59
A. Akmal c Silva b Dilshan    41
A. Rehman b Herath    0
U. Gul lbw b Herath    2
J. Khan not out    0
Extras: (b-10, lb-10, w-2, nb-3)    25
Total: (all out; 141.1 overs)    403
Fall of wickets: 1-63, 2-64, 3-181, 4-275, 5-283, 6-324, 7-394, 8-397, 9-399.
Bowling: Welegedara 29-7-79-2 (w-1), Prasad 32-2-104-3 (nb-3), Herath 37-5-89-2, Lakmal 24-8-54-0 (w-1), Dilshan 19.1-1-57-3.

SRI LANKA second innings
T. Paranavitana c Y. khan b Ajmal    72
L. Thirimanne b M. Hafeez    8
K. Sangakkara lbw b A. Rehman    30
M. Jayawardene b Ajmal    5
T. Dilshan lbw b J. Khan    3
A. Mathhews not out    52
K.. Silva c Ajmal b J. Khan    8
D. Prasad b A. Rehman    33
R. Herath c Misbah-ul-Haq b Ajmal    15
C. Welegedra lbw b Ajmal    4
S. Lakmal b Ajmal    8
Extras: (b-14, lb-3, nb-2)    19
Total: (all out, 109.5 overs)    257
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-95, 3-113, 4-116, 5-141, 6-166, 7-222, 8-243, 9-247.
Bowling: U. Gul 15-3-39-0 (nb-1), Junaid Khan 17-4-38-2 (nb-1), M. Hafeez  14-2-30-1, A. Rehman 33-7-65-2, Saeed Ajmal 30.5-9-68-5.

PAKISTAN second innings
M. Hafeez not out     59
T. Umar b Herath    1
Azhar Ali not out    29
Extras: (b-4, lb-1)    5
Total: (one wicket, 24.1 overs)    94
Fall of wickets: 1-17.
Bowling. D. Prasad 3-0-23-0, C. Welegedara 2-1-1-0, R. herath 10.1-2-29-1, T. Dilshan 9-0-36-0.