Karachi: Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera smashed double hundreds and a 52-year record for the fourth wicket stand as Sri Lanka pulverised Pakistan's attack in the first Test here on Sunday. The batting pair had accumulated 437 runs for the fourth wicket when both fell in successive overs before the tea break. Jayawardene ended on 240 and Samaraweera 231 as Sri Lanka reached 614-6 at tea on the second day, Sri Lanka's best ever total against Pakistan.

Karachi: Sri Lanka reached 505-3 at lunch on the second day of the opening Test match against Pakistan here on Sunday. Overnight batsmen duo of Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera who hit punishing hundreds on the opening day, began the day's play cautiously. The duo are in the middle for the visitors, producing 99 runs in the morning session.

Mahela Jayawardene hit a sedate half-century to keep Pakistan at bay on the opening day of the first Test as Sri Lanka reached 248-3 by tea here on Saturday. The Sri Lanka skipper was unbeaten at the break with 69, having reached 8,000 career Test runs during the innings, along with Thilan Samaraweera (40 not out) who helped steady the innings after the tourists won the toss and decided to bat. The pair added 71 for the fourth wicket.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was confident of his team's chances against Pakistan in the first cricket Test beginning here at the National Stadium from Saturday. Jayawardene, who has decided to step down as captain after the two-match series against Pakistan, said that Sri Lanka will try to maintain its good Test form and will go all out to win its first Test series in Pakistan.

Pakistan have named four pace bowlers and three uncapped players in their 12-man squad to take on Sri Lanka in the first Test in Karachi which begins on February 21st. Opening batsmen Khurram Manzoor and bowlers Sohail Khan and Mohammad Talha were named in the squad with only Manzoor and Khan having international experience in ODI cricket.

Pakistan will hope to put a series of on and off-field disasters behind them and rebuild under new captain Younis Khan when they play their first Test in 14 months against Sri Lanka from Saturday. Drug and disciplinary problems and a series of poor results had already plunged Pakistan into crisis before multiple bomb blasts and the Mumbai attacks robbed the team of playing opportunities.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has promised a sporting and result-oriented pitch for the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting from Saturday. Intikhab said the Pakistan team management has asked for a pitch with bounce and movement where the ball comes nicely on to the bat. “We want a good positive track where we can get a result.

Pakistan's senior all-rounder Shahid Afridi is seriously considering retiring from Test cricket after national selectors ignored him for the two-match home series against Sri Lanka starting later this week. The 28-year-old Afridi said Thursday that he was disappointed over his failure to impress the selectors ahead of the opening Test

Pakistan have dropped all-rounder Shahid Afridi and pace bowler Sohail Tanvir and called up three uncapped players ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka that begins in Karachi later this week (February 21st). There is also a recall for Asim Kamal, who last played a Test match in 2005.

Sri Lanka endured a difficult day in the field on the first day of their two-day tour match against the PCB Patron's XI as the home side racked up 395 for four with openers Ahmed Shehzad (146) and Azhar Ali (100) both scoring centuries. The pair put on 251 before Shehzad was caught by Tharanga Paranavitana off of Farveez Maharoof while Shehzad retired hurt four runs short of 150.