GALLE: Former captain Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka rebuild in his 100th Test on Sunday, after the hosts were defeated by Pakistan by three wickets in the second match.
After the hosts lost skipper Dimuth Karunaratne for 40 early in the second session, Mathews (36) and Dinesh Chandimal (35) put on an unbeaten 61-run stand at Galle.
On 36, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam dropped an easy catch at extra cover off left-arm spinner Nauman Ali, giving Mathews a reprieve.
The hosts reached 181 for three at tea after electing to bat first in their bid to avenge their first-match loss in the two-match series.
Before left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz broke through, Oshada Fernando and left-handed Karunaratne put on a 92-run opening stand.
Fernando hit a six off Nawaz to reach his seventh Test half-century, but was caught behind for 50 on the next ball.
Kusal Mendis survived 11 balls and made three runs before being run out at the stroke of lunch by Agha Salman off a direct throw while backing up at the not striker end.
At 120-3, Karunaratne fell to Yasir Shah's leg spin after his attempted reverse sweep went to backward point, where Naseem took a sharp catch.
Mathews, 35, was honoured by Sri Lanka Cricket and accompanied by his family at the start of the Test.
Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and chose to bat against Pakistan.
Dunith Wellalage, a teenage left-arm spinner, made his Test debut, while fast bowler Asitha Fernando returned after recovering from COVID.
Pakistan has also made two changes, with Nauman Ali replacing injured quick Shaheen Shah Afridi and Azhar Ali replacing left-hand batsman Fawad Alam.
On a tense fifth day at the same venue, the tourists, led by Babar Azam, won the first match by four wickets.
Teams
Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wkt), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dunith Wellalage, Asitha Fernando
Pakistan's team consists of Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Fawad Alam, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, and Naseem Shah.
