Spinner Noman Ali claimed seven wickets Thursday as Pakistan hammered Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs inside four days of the second Test to sweep the series 2-0.
Noman took the first seven wickets and fast bowler Naseem Shah took the final three to bowl Sri Lanka out for 188 in the final session in Colombo after Pakistan declared their first innings on 576-5.
Pakistan, resuming Day 4 at 563-5, faced just two overs in the morning session to add another 13 runs to their total.
Sri Lanka, chasing 410 runs just to wipe out their first innings deficit, launched their second innings confidently with a 69-run opening partnership between Nishan Madushka and captain Dimuth Karunaratne.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Madushka’s dismissal triggered a colossal batting collapse as they slumped to 177-7 a session-and-a-half later. Remarkably, Pakistan spinner Noman Ali, who was their only wicketless bowler from the first innings, snared each of Sri Lanka’s first seven batters on Day 4 to register his best Test figures.
Angelo Mathews defied visitors with a fighting fifty from one end of the crease, however, he received little-to-no support as Sri Lanka were dusted out for just 188. Pakistan’s new-ball speedster Naseem Shah accounted for the final three wickets to finish with a six-wicket match-haul to his name.
Babar Azam and co. eventually won the contest by an innings and 222 runs and claimed the series by a 2-0 margin. The victory also further strengthened Pakistan’s claim at the top of the WTC 2023-25 points table.
