Pak Asian Test champions

Sri Lankan hopes of any meaningful fightback evaporated when they were reduced to 61 for seven before left-hander Hashan Tillekeratne’s unbeaten 55 and his useful stands with wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana (28) and last-man Sajeewa de Silva (27) delayed the inevitable. Tillekeratne and Sajeewa de Silva raised a Sri Lankan record last wicket stand of 73 runs — surpassing the previous best of 64 by Rumesh Ratnayake and Graeme Labrooy against England in 1988 — in a final act of defiance.

Pakistan, who completed a fine run in the three-nation affair claimed the handsome prizemoney of $100,000. IjazAhmed, who struck his maiden double century with a punishing 211, was adjudged `man of the match’ while Wasim Akram who claimed hattrick in successive Tests and ended up with 15 wickets in the championship, was named the `man of the series’.

Sri Lanka, who pipped India for the final place against Pakistan, were awarded $ 60,000 as runners-up.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 231
Pakistan (1st innings): 594
Sri Lanka (2nd innings, 3-9 overnight): Russel Arnold c Akram b A Khan 30, Avishka Gunawardena c Afridi b Akram 0, Chaminda Vaas b Akram 0, Mahela Jayawardene c Wasti b Akram 1, Maravan Atapattu run out 22, Aravinda de Silva c Wasti b Saqlain 6, Hashan Tillekeratne not out 55, Romesh Kaluwitharana c&b Saqlain 0, Upal Chandana lbw Afridi 28, Pramodaya Wickeramsinghe b Afridi 7, Sajeeva de Silva b Saqlain 27. Extras (lb7, nb1, b4): 12. Total: (all out in 65.3 overs): 188
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-5, 3-9, 4-48, 5-59, 6-59, 7-61, 8-101,9-115.
Bowling: Akram 7-0-33-3; Akhtar 10.4-3-26-0; A Khan 12-3-41-1; Saqlain 28.5-15-46-3, Afridi 7-1-31-2.