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Galle: Younis Khan smashed 177 during a valiant fightback with the lower order batsmen as Pakistan gained the upper hand in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Thursday.
Khan, who came in to bat at 19/2 on the first morning, anchored the innings admirably to enable the tourists to pile up 451 all out by tea on the second day.
Sri Lanka replied with 99/1 by close of the second day's play, comfortably tackling both pace and spin, but the batsmen will remain wary of the turn and bounce that will increasingly come into play over the next three days.
Left-arm seamer Junaid Khan trapped Upul Tharanga leg-before for 19 in the fifth over, but Kaushal Silva and Kumar Sangakkara settled in to put on 75 for the second wicket.
Younis Khan made 177 and Sarfraz Ahmed (55) and Abdur Rehman (50) hit half-centuries to help the tourists pile on a big score.
Offspinner Dilruwan Perera grabbed the last five wickets in the post-lunch session to finish with 5-137. Rangana Herath claimed 3-116.
Younis, who came in to bat at 2-19 on the first morning and ended the day on 133, was untroubled by Sri Lanka's seamers and spinners.
The 36-year-old, playing his 90th Test, batted for more than eight hours to notch his 24th century.
Sri Lanka came close to removing him when he was on 156, but seamer Shaminda Eranga spilled a sharp return catch as the batsman failed to keep a drive along the ground.
Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene is due to retire from the longer form of cricket after the second Test in Colombo.
The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia
Brief scores
Pakistan - 451 (Younis 177, Shafiq 75, Perera 5-137)
Sri Lanka - 99 for 1 (Silva 38*, Sangakkara 36*)
Staatus - Sri Lanka trail by 352 runs
