Noman Ali’s seven wickets haul helps Pakistan win Test series 2-0

Colombo: Noman Ali took seven wickets in the afternoon session to send Sri Lanka plunging towards an innings defeat, the hosts losing wickets one after another for 74 as their openers had earlier made 69 together. At tea they were 143 for 6, still 267 runs behind Pakistan.

Noman, who bowled with outstanding guile and excellent control on a wearing - but not spitting - SSC surface, went to tea with figures of 6 for 53, having claimed all the second-innings wickets to have fallen. This is his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests.

It was Noman's flight, dip and turn that made him a special threat on the Colombo surface, rather than the arm ball which is often productive for left-arm spinners on Sri Lankan surfaces. He began, in the morning session, with perhaps his best ball of the day. Nishan Madushka had batted nicely for his 33 when Noman drifted his first ball to leg, had it dip on the batter, then bite off the surface having pitched on about middle and leg, to beat Madushka's outside edge and clip off stump.

After lunch, he scythed through Sri Lanka's top order - many of the batters having had poor series so far. Dimuth Karunaratne was caught at short leg by Imam-ul-Haq, another sharp take at that position for Pakistan, who have been spectacular with their close catching all series

Kusal Mendis then attempted to hit Noman inside out and spooned a catch to cover instead, having failed to get to the pitch of the ball. Dinesh Chandimal was out cheaply gloving and attempted lap sweep, and even Dhananjaya de Silva - who had had a good series - fell cheaply, holing out to long on to complete Noman's five-wicket haul.

Sadeera Samarawickrama was the last to go before the break, undone by Noman's turn and bounce as he attempted to cut. Samarawickrama ended up merely spooning a catch to point.

There had been some resistance in the morning from Karunaratne and Madushka, with Karunaratne especially efficient through his favoured legside, and Madushka solid in defence against Pakistan seamers. Angelo Mathews also struck some big blows and showed some semblance of fight. He remained not out on 38 at tea.

But having dominated this game from the outset, Pakistan are in sight of a 2-0 sweep. If Noman gets one more wicket, he will have a career-best innings haul.