Sri Lanka pulled off a dramatic 50-run win in the first Test at Galle yesterday after Pakistan faltered in the second innings when chasing a modest target of 168.

Pakistan, who began the fourth day's play needing just 97 to win with eight wickets in hand, lost their last eight batsmen for 46 runs, handing Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

"A lot of credit for the win should go to Sangakkara," Younus told reporters. "His captaincy was brilliant on the last day, especially his decision to give the ball to a spinner. He made the right moves in his first Test as captain."

On a lively wicket that had assisted seamers on the first three days, Sangakkara instead gave the second over on the crucial fourth day to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

The gamble paid off handsomely. Herath dismissed the two overnight batsmen, Mohammad Yousuf and Salman Butt, with his first four deliveries, and took two more wickets to finish with career-best figures of 4-15 from 11.3 overs.

The 31-year-old, who had 36 wickets in 14 previous Tests, was not due to play in Galle, but a knee injury to spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan forced the selectors to summon him from England, where he was playing league cricket.

Sangakkara said he was tempted to start the day with two fast bowlers, but decided to give the ball to Herath because he had troubled Yousuf in the first innings even though the batsman scored a century.

"We knew if we were to have a chance, the first five to six overs were going to be crucial," Sangakkara said. "We needed two to three wickets and we got them five down very early. An over or two to Yousuf swung the decision in favour of Rangana. I must admit we were outplayed by Pakistan in the first three days but showed character to come back strongly."

Sangakkara, who took over as captain after Mahela Jayawardene stepped down voluntarily earlier this year to concentrate on his batting, said a lot of hard work remained to be done if Sri Lanka was to win the series.

He was worried by totals of 292 and 217 in the first Test against a Pakistani side that had three debutants among its four specialist bowlers.