Ijaz (118 batting: 208b, 314m) and the burly Inzamam-Ul Haq, batting with a majestic 77 (200b, 260m), had put on an entertaining 182 runs for the unbroken third wicket as Pakistan, overnight 33 for none, led by 67 runs with eight wickets intact.

Pakistan were sitting pretty with six bonus points, after taking two batting points today as Sri Lanka, having gained just two batting points, can hope to claim the inaugural title only if they score an outright win, which looks remote.

Pakistan fell just one run short of claiming a third batting point, but had reached a position from where they can push for an outright victory.

Sri Lanka, guilty of loose fielding and catching, gained modest rewards as openers, young Wajahatullah Wasti (22) and left-hander Saeed Anwar (57) felleither side of lunch, taken at 112.

They suffered a setback when regular keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana fell ill during lunch and Hashan Tillekeratne had to don the gloves.

Ijaz Ahmed, playing his 54th Test, cracked left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas for three consecutive fours, to bring up his century in 175 balls. Going into the final over, Pakistan needed just one run to gain their third batting and seventh bonus point overall, but Mahela Jayawardene bowled a maiden over to Ijaz, who was dropped by skipper Aravinda de Silva. Haq was dropped by Avisha Gunawardena at short leg off Russel Arnold when he was yet to open his account and Ahmed saw Tillekeratne let his edge off Vaas bounce off his gloves with the batsman on 59.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 231

Pakistan (1st innings, overnight 33 for no loss): Saeed Anwar c&b Arnold 57, Wajahtullah Wasti c Jayawardene b S de Silva 22, Ijaz Ahmed batting 118, Inzamam-ul Haq batting 77; Extras (b11, lb7, nb7): 25. Total (for 2 wickets, 100overs): 299

Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-117.

Bowling: Vaas 28-3-89-0, Wickremasinghe 18-4-41-0, S de Silva 17.4-3-45-1, Chandana 17-2-63-0, A de Silva 4-0-13-0, Arnold 13.2-3-25-1, Jayawardena 2-1-5-0.