The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka meandered to a tame draw in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as the hosts batted last on a flat, lifeless pitch and decided against chasing the tricky target.
Sri Lanka declared their second innings just before lunch on 480 for five, leaving Pakistan with a target of 302 runs thanks to a 156-run stand between Angelo Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene.
Pakistan didn’t attempt to make a go of it though, as Mohammad Hafeez’s 80 not out and Ahmed Shehzad’s 55 led them to 158 for two when the umpires decided to call it a day with 15 overs to go.
Sri Lanka started the day on 420 for five, thus adding just 60 runs to the tally as they continued to go at the slow pace that characterised their stand on day four. Mathews was on 116 at the start, while Jayawardene was on 48.
Mathews’s 150 came off 336 balls, and was by far his highest Test score, beating his previous (and only) best of 105 not out. Prasanna, who had last played a Test in late 2012, took advantage of the dead track to score his fifth Test half ton.
Pakistan thus had two sessions to bat and from the beginning it was clear they weren’t going to try and get the runs. Khurram Manzoor was the only cheap wicket to fall, making eight before being removed by Suranga Lakmal.
Shehzad and Hafeez then added 101 together over the next 33 overs, before the former was trapped LBW by Rangana Herath. Hafeez and Younis Khan saw out the day, with Younis making 13 off 42 balls.
The second Test will be played in Dubai, starting on 8 January.
