Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in second Test, take series

Dubai - Pakistan, chasing 317 to win, were bowled out for 248

The South Africans were here in 2010 but couldn't do it. The Lankans had come here in 2011-12 but couldn't as well. England too arrived the same year and went back battered. South Africa and Sri Lanka were back again a second time in 2013-14, but there was no change. Australia made the long trip from Down Under and so did their trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand. It was the same again.
The English were back in 2015-16 and Alastair Cook's men found it the hard way yet again. West Indies too came, not the West Indies of yore, last year. But there was no change. The UAE had stood solid as a rock as Pakistan's fortress for seven years.
Until Tuesday, that is.
Sri Lanka did what no team had done in the desert in seven years, breach Pakistan's bastion. The tiny island nation made a big statement by matching, foxing, outsmarting and outwitting Pakistan over the two-Test series.
After pulling off a heist in Abu Dhabi, the Lankans pulled the rug from under Pakistan in Dubai to win the Test by 68 runs and sweep the series 2-0.
Coming as it did just after that battering at the hands of the big boys India, this should rank as one of the best comebacks, if not the greatest, in cricketing history.
To put things in perspective, Sri Lanka inflicted Pakistan's first series loss at home since 2007, when the South Africans had won the two-Test series 1-0.
Sri Lanka put an end to Pakistan's proud home record of five series wins and four drawn series here in the UAE, a 24-Test stretch dating back to 2010, when the South Africans had first arrived. Test No.25 and 26 in the UAE and Test No.2277 and 2278 would have left a bitter taste in the mouth for Pakistan.
It also continued a poor run for Pakistan where they have now lost nine of their previous 11 Tests.
This was Sri Lanka's first Test series win outside home in 17 years with their last one coming in 2000. It was also their second series win outside home against Pakistan with the first one in 1995. Sri Lanka's last series win outside home was against Zimbabwe last year.
Sri Lanka became the first team in 115 years to win a Test after getting bowled out for less than 100 in the third innings.
Sri Lanka's performance and the absence of one from Pakistan was such that it would be fair to say had a third Test been played, the result could have been more or less the same. Pakistan had the wrong strategies and botched up tactically as well.
Despite the humbling experience back home, Sri Lanka arrived here better prepared and had all their bases covered.
There was a fire in their belly, while Pakistan lacked that spark over the course of the series. Although Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed said that they had prepared well, the reality was Pakistan were perhaps stuck in the euphoria of the World XI's path-breaking visit to Pakistan.
Returning to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, needing 119 runs on the fifth and final day, Pakistan showed a bit of resistance early on and had kept the Sri Lankans at bay.
Pakistan slowly chipped away at the target but Lankan bowlers continued to make dents. And while in Abu Dhabi it was left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, here it was Dilruwan Perera. The off-spinner snapped up a fifer, his fifth five-wicket haul, in the second innings for a match haul of eight.
Perera finished the series third best on 12 wickets, with Pakistan leg spinner Yasir Shah being the leading wicket-taker with 16. Herath finished second with 15 wickets.
Overnight on 198 for 5, Pakistan eventually finished up at 248. The end came in the first session of the day and half hour before the tea break.
Asad Shafiq, resuming on 86, notched his 11th hundred but it was of little consolation as Pakistan ended up on the losing side.
Captain Sarfraz Ahmed, overnight on 57, could only manage 68. Shafiq and Sarfraz's huge partnership had given Pakistan a whiff of a chance but once that association ended on 173, it was more or less the end.