25 February,2009 04:36 PM IST | | AFP
Sri Lanka lost three early wickets in their second innings but the first Test headed for a draw here on Wednesday after Pakistan captain Younis Khan failed to make batting history.
At tea on the fifth and final day Sri Lanka reached 54-3, still 67 runs adrift with Kumar Sangakkara unbeaten on 32 and Mahela Jayawardene yet to open his account.
Younis, who resumed at 306, played on to Sri Lanka's Dilhara Fernando in the ninth over of the day, much to the disappointment of the sparse crowd at the National Stadium who hoped to see him break West Indies batsman Brian Lara's record innings of 400 not-out, set against England in 2004.
The 31-year-old also fell 24 short of Hanif Mohammad's Pakistani record of 337, scored against the West Indies in Barbados in 1958, before the home team declared their first innings on 765-6, taking a lead of 121 over Sri Lanka's first innings score of 644-7 declared.
Kamran Akmal notched a fiery career-best 158 as Pakistan improved their previous best Test innings total of 708, made against England at The Oval in 1987.
When Sri Lanka batted for the second time Pakistan paceman Umar Gul struck early blows, removing opener Malinda Warnapura (two), caught behind in the first over, then had Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) caught to leave the tourists struggling at 45-3.
Tharanga Paranavitana, who fell for a duck in the first innings, failed to beat a direct throw on to his stumps while taking a quick single and was run out for nine, ending a miserable Test debut.
Earlier, Pakistan resumed at 574-5 with the interest centered on Younis's national and world record bid.
Younis, who came to the crease on Sunday, batted for a marathon 12 hours and 48 minutes, facing 568 balls and hitting 27 boundaries and four sixes.
His triple ton eclipsed Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene's 240, part of a record 437 fourth-wicket stand with Thilan Samaraweera (231).
Akmal, 27, also completed his 2,000 runs when he was 56. He hit five sixes and eight boundaries. Yasir Arafat finished with 50 not out and put on 169 quick runs for the seventh wicket with Akmal.
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