PAK VS SL - 1st Test, Pakistan v Sri Lanka in UAE, 2017

A Test that sprung to life after Tea on Day 4 has a happy ending for Sri Lanka, who can now forget their India debacle and look forward with renewed hope and vigour. Remember, Pakistan have never lost a Test series in United Arab Emirates (UAE) and that proud record is under immense threat. They have one match to ensure that the record stays and that will be played in Dubai, starting from 6th October. It's also the first-ever Day-Night Test between these two teams. Should be a grand spectacle. Do join us for all the action. For now, cheers and bye..

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Here are a few stats from this match - courtesy our statsman - Deepu Narayanan

Fewest Tests to 400 wickets: 72 M Muralitharan; 80 R Hadlee/ Steyn; 84 Rangana Herath; 85 Kumble; 87 McGrath
Lowest 4th innings targets successfully defended by SL: 136 v PAK, Abu Dhabi, 2017; 168 v Pak, Galle, 2009; 176 v Ind, Galle, 2015
Smallest margin of win for SL in a Test (by runs): 21 v Pak, Abu Dhabi, 2017; 42 v Pak, Faisalabad, 1995; 50 v Pak, Galle, 2009; 57 v Pak, Peshawar, 2000; 63 v Ind, Galle, 2015
Most wkts against Pakistan in Tests: Rangana Herath(100)*; Kapil Dev (99); Shane Warne (90); Anil Kumble (81); M Muralitharan (80); G McGrath (80)
136 is also the lowest target Pakistan failed to chase down in 4th innings.
Most ten-fers in Test cricket: Muralitharan - 22; Warne - 10; Hadlee/ Herath - 9; Kumble - 8
Most wickets in fourth innings: Warne - 138; Muralitharan - 106; McGrath - 103; Herath - 100

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Dinesh Chandimal - We are over the moon, we have waited for this win. Credit goes to all the guys, lots of hard work before this Test. Credit should also go to the management and the selectors. It's difficult in the middle, Dickwella and Karunaratne were very good in the first innings, Dickwella was unbelievable in the second innings to get us to the 140-run mark. As soon as we got there, we knew Rangana would lead us in the defence of the target. On a personal front, I am very happy with the way I batted in the first innings.

Sarfraz Ahmed - Win and loss - it's always a part of the game, but we should have won this match. There are some batting issues in our team and we were put under pressure. Needed one partnership and the game was ours. There was a bit of bite and turn with the new ball, that was one of the reasons for us losing so many wickets. Haris had a wonderful debut, hopefully, he will continue to perform well for us. Need to comeback well in the second Test, the batsmen must pull-up their socks and deliver.

Herath - I have no idea, but I have played more games against them (on taking 100 wickets against Pakistan). When you are getting old, it gets increasingly difficult, it's a different feeling (on his 400 Test wickets). Remarkable achievement, all the credit goes to my parents, family, the team and the management. I don't have any pressure, just play my game. There was some assistance from the surface, there was something for the spinners and it helped me.

Rangana Herath is the Man of the Match

Sri Lanka began the day at 69/4, they tumbled to 138 all-out by lunch, thanks mainly to a plucky little knock from Niroshan Dickwella. 136 was a tricky target, but you would fancy Pakistan to chase it down. But Pakistan are Pakistan, you always have a chance defending small targets against them. Within an hour of the chase, they looked down and out - having lost half their side for just 36 runs. But Sarfraz was still in the middle and giving him company was the impressive Haris Sohail. Pakistan could still make it. Remember CT17? Sri Lanka though didn't give them a chance, one shot too many and Sarfraz was a goner, Haris followed soon and Herath ran through the tail. Giving him useful support was Dilruwan as the Island nation completed a fairytale 21-run victory. Stay with us for the presentations..

Jubilant faces in the Sri Lankan camp. Dickwella plucked a wicket, so did someone else. They deserved this after the shell-lacking they got at the hands of India just recently. 9-0, captains were changed, the selectors were changed, the coach looked on a sticky wicket. Then they lost their best batsman, Angelo Mathews - at least for the first Test. All this and then they come to play at a ground where Pakistan had never lost - only to add a piece of history themselves. At tea yesterday, this game was heading towards a dull and weary draw. Not sure if anyone had a hand in changing the wicket. 20 wickets fell across the first 14 sessions, 20 more fell in the next three and a half sessions. That's cricket in the gulf for you. Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy and all of a sudden - there's a bang.

Herath to Mohammad Abbas, out Lbw!! Sri Lanka are celebrating again, Mohammad Abbas wants a review, but this looks like it's just for formality sake. It's pad first, adjacent to middle-stump, OUT is the call as Hawk-Eye returns three REDS. Sensational from Sri Lanka, Pakistan have been defeated in Abu Dhabi for the first-ever time. Oh! Not to forget, 400 wickets for the wily old champion - Herath - becoming the first left-arm spinner to take so many wickets in the history of Tests. Celebrations in the Sri Lankan camp, Pakistan look disconsolate. They have begun the new non-MisYou era with a humbling loss. Coming to the ball, it was pushed through flatter and on the stumps, Mohammad Abbas was backing away on the cut, always a bad idea against Herath, he missed, the ball clattered into the pads - bang in front of middle, simple call for umpire Llong. Mohammad Abbas lbw b Herath 0(8)

Herath to Mohammad Abbas, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

Herath to Mohammad Abbas, no run, flighted delivery on the stumps, Mohammad Abbas gets a big stride forward as he smothers it

Herath to Mohammad Abbas, no run, tossed up slower and on the stumps, Mohammad Abbas gets well forward and jams an inside edge onto the pads

Herath to Mohammad Abbas, no run, tossed up slower and on the stumps, Mohammad Abbas stays back and defends it

What drama! Cricket at its best in Abu Dhabi. One moment they were all celebrating, the next moment, they had their hands on their head. Will Sri Lanka pay for this? Pakistan need another 22 runs

Dilruwan Perera to Yasir Shah, no run, slower and on off, turned towards FSL

Dilruwan Perera to Yasir Shah, no run, Yasir will play some shots now, shimmies down the track to a well flighted delivery and drills it back at the bowler

Dilruwan Perera to Yasir Shah, 2 runs, tossed up well wide of off, driven in the gap past cover and Yasir comes back for the second run

Dilruwan Perera to Yasir Shah, no ball, Sri Lanka win and are jumping in joy. Pakistan have been breached at their fortress in Abu Dhabi. Hang on! Has Dilruwan overstepped? This looks very close and it's called as a no-ball. Pakistan survive - just. Sri Lanka look gutted, they were dancing in joy, but Dilruwan has overstepped. This was the off-break from Dilruwan, Yasir was lunging forward in defence, gets an inside edge to the left of FSL. Mendis tumbled and took a smart catch. The celebrations began in the Lankan camp, but that was for just a moment