Star batsman Kumar Sangakkara believe Sri Lanka had played well in the first three days to put them in comfortable position to fly home with their first series win in five years on a foreign soil.
Sangakkara hit 52 in the first innings before watching how the young guns put their hands together to lift Sri Lanka to commanding a 428 for nine declared.
“I think we played well, if we get a couple of wickets in the morning tomorrow especially Misbah( ul-Haq) then we would be able to do quite well in the Test. They were pushing for runs today, trying to get as close as possible to our total but the two wickets in the end were very crucial for us,” said Sangakkara at the post match press conference. Pakistan were cruising smoothly on the back of a maiden ton by Ahmed Shehzad (147) when Sri Lanka came back strongly in the final sessions to restrict them for 291 for 6 at stumps.
With two days left the test could end in a draw, but Sangakkara believe Pakistan would give their last shot to get a result as they search for a series leveling win.
“I think Pakistan will have to try and push to get that result, losing 1-0 or 2-0 is going to be the same when you lose the series, so they are going for broke and trying to get the result in the game and our job is to try and hold on to our nerves, absorb the pressure,” he added.
Sangakkara was however surprised by the wicket that has not produce a significant advantage to the spinners.
“It is surprising because there are a lot of rough on the pitch and the real challenge to exploit that rough, and for our spinners its really have a look at where the position of the rough is, and how well they can use it for the unpredictable.
I think it’s just the third day so the fourth and fifth days is bound to get worse and more difficult to bat on,” he added.
Sangakkara said that Rangana Hearth bowling outside leg stump was a calculated decision to exploit the rough out in the leg side, even though it appeared as a negative tactic.
“There are roughs out there, to try and pitch the ball in these spots. A lot of batsmen do not have the patience anyway when you bowl those kind of lines and it seems negative when you look at it from the outside, but the plan was quite positive to try and get them to hit against the line, try and get one turn from off the rough,” he added.
