Live Cricket Score of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 3rd Test, Day 1 at Pallekele

After a comprehensive 10-wicket win at Galle, Pakistan played well in patches in the second game, but their loss can largely be attributed to the batting collapses they suffered in both the innings. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, batted well and took a 177-run lead in the first innings.

In the second innings, Pakistan put up a much better show. Azhar Ali's century helped them go past 300 and they were looking set to take a handy second innings lead when they were 301/5. However, Dushmantha Chameera and Dhammika Prasad ran through their lower-order and Pakistan lost their final 5 wickets for just 28 runs. Chasing 153 to win, Sri Lanka achieved the target with 7 wickets in hand.

The hosts today are without the services of Kumar Sangakkara, who will now directly play two Tests against Pakistan and call it a day. Read more in our preview here. For now, let's check who wins the toss.

Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to field first. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have made as many as four changes in their side. For the visitors, Mohammad Hafeez, Zulfiqar Babar, Wahab Riaz, and Junaid Khan are not playing. In their place, Shan Masood, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, and Ehsan Adil come in. For the hosts, Upul Tharanga, Jehan Mubarak and Suranga Lakmal replace Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath, and Kithruwan Vithanage.

Teams:

Pakistan (Playing XI): Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed(w), Ehsan Adil, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews(c), Dinesh Chandimal(w), Jehan Mubarak, Dhammika Prasad, T Kaushal, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep

Pakistan got an early breakthrough as Rahat Ali dismissed Kaushal Silva in the fifth over of the day. The batsman could only make 9. He was pushed back into the crease with a short of length delivery angled across, looked to defend but ended up nicking it to the keeper.

Great start for the visitors. Upul Tharanga has come in at three. He has pretty big boots to fill. Can he do justice to Sangakkara's third spot?

Despite striking early, Pakistan were not able to maintain the pressure on the hosts as DimuthKarunaratne and Upul Tharanga cruised along with ease. Tharanga was the aggressor in the partnership, he was scoring runs freely in the beginning but then slowed down and concentrated on building the innings. Soon, they brought up the fifty-plus stand for the second wicket.