Pakistan rebuild after early shocks in final Test

Khurram Manzoor and Mohammad Yousuf lifted Pakistan with an unbeaten 67-run stand after Sri Lanka's Thilan Thushara struck quick blows at the start of the third Test today.

Pakistan, sent in to bat in overcast conditions by Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, recovered from a shaky 34-2 to post 103 without further loss by lunch on the first day at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Left-arm seamer Thushara grabbed two wickets in four balls to give Sri Lanka a solid start in their bid to sweep the three-match series after winning the previous two matches.

But the third-wicket pair of Manzoor and Yousuf denied Sri Lanka further success till lunch on a barren wicket that appeared full of runs.

Manzoor, playing his fifth Test, was unbeaten at the break on 42, while the 82-match veteran Yousuf was on a fluent 36.

Openers Fawad Alam and Manzoor had put on 34 within the first hour when Thushara struck in his third over after replacing Nuwan Kulasekera.

Left-handed Alam, who hit a brilliant 168 on debut in the previous Test, made 16 when he edged Thushara to wicket-keeper Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Three balls later, Pakistan captain Younus Khan chopped a delivery wide of the off-stump on to his stumps after making two.

Yousuf hit the best shot of the morning session when he stepped out and lofted left-arm spinner Rangana Herath over the long-on fence for six.

Later, he punched the same bowler off the backfoot to the point fence.

Veteran seamer Chaminda Vaas, playing his final Test match after announcing his retirement from the five-day game on Sunday, bowled an opening spell of five overs in which he conceded 14 runs.

Vaas, who was overlooked for the first two Tests, replaced spinner Ajantha Mendis in the only chance from the winning combination.

Pakistan also made one change, bringing in seasoned leg-spinner Danish Kaneria in place of seamer Abdur Rauf.