High five for Shoaib Akhtar

Earlier, Sri Lanka’s innings was wrapped up for 268 with Marvan Atapattu top-scoring with 75, made in 348 minutes from 254 balls.

Speedster Akhtar, warned twice by umpire Mohammad Nazir for running onto the pitch in his follow through before lunch, struck a vital blow after the break by bowling Atapattu through sheer pace for 75.

The 24-year-old speedster was playing his first Test after being banned for having an illegal bowling action in December. He was later cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in February.

Akhtar bowled with venom and took three wickets in 21 deliveries to put the brakes on Sri Lanka. He snared two wickets in consecutive overs with Romesh Kaluwitharana, caught behind off his glove for four and Pramodya Wickremasing he was bowled for a duck.

Chaminda Vaas, who remained unbeaten on 17, stood firm to add 45 runs with Ravindra Pushpakumara and Muttiah Muralitharan later in the visitors innings. Muralitharan hit an enterprising 22, including three fours and a six off 13 balls, before becoming Akhtar’s fifth victim. The batsman had taken 13 off one Abdur Razzak over, including a straight six.

Akhtar’s only previous five-wicket Test haul was his 5-43 against South Africa at Durban in 1997-98.

Sri Lanka had resumed the day at 88 for two and added 91 in the first session — extended for half an hour because of a rain-affected opening day — for the loss of one wicket.

Atapattu and Aravinda de Silva took the total to 121 before left-armer Aamir Sohail came on and trapped De Silva leg before for 33. De Silva, who hit a polished 112 in his team’s narrow two-wicket win in first Test, hit three fours.

Atapattu reached his fourth Test fifty in 241 minutes.

Sri Lanka lost five wickets after lunch for just 37 runs and slumped to 223-8 from a comfortable 186-3.

Jayawardene partnered Atapattu in a stand of 65 for the fourth wicket and looked set to build their team’s innings. At 186, Jayawardene hit a wild drive off Sohail and was well caught above the head by Shahid Afridi for 36, which included six fours.

Tillekeratne Dilshan made 13 before being bowled by off-spinner Arshad Khan. Razzak and Sohail finished with two wickets apiece.

Anwar and Aamir Sohail gave Pakistan a sound start of 54 before Sohail played casually against part time bowler Mahela Jayawardene and was caught in the slips for 22. Anwar was in good touch and hit seven delightful boundaries.

Waqar Younis did not play because of a stomach problem while Abdur Razzak was plagued by hamstring problem.

Waqar’s absence followed similar problems for Pakistan in the first Test when it lost Wasim Akram due to a groin injury in the first Test after bowling just 13 deliveries.