Colombo, March 30:

Shoaib Malik ground out a big maiden Test century under pressure to help Pakistan draw the opening match against Sri Lanka after being set a mammoth target to win.

Malik scored a patient 148 not out as the tourists reached 337-4 in their second innings on the last day while chasing an improbable 458 runs.

Malik showed the way in a marathon, 369-ball innings as the visitors batted to save the match rather than win on a fifth-day pitch. Malik hit two sixes and 21 fours. The Pakistani opener completed his hundred in style when he drove spinner Sanath Jayasuriya for a four in the last session.

Malik put Pakistan on the right track, adding 115 for the third wicket with Faisal Iaqbal (60) and 81 for the next with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq (48).

Sri Lanka’s hopes of winning the match depended on ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan but he had a rare off-day, claiming just one wicket in 28 overs. When Muralitharan struck, Pakistan had virtually saved the match. His lone success came in the last session when he had Inzamam caught bat-pad by Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Pakistan began impressively when they denied the hosts success in the rain-curtailed morning session after resuming at 89-2.

With Muralitharan going wicketless in the first session, Sri Lanka took the second new ball immediately after it was due in the afternoon session and tasted instant success. Farveez Maharoof provided the breakthrough in his first over trapping Faisal leg-before, but not before the batsman had frustrated the hosts .

Sri Lanka continued to struggle as Malik and Inzamam batted steadily. The Pakistani captain hit eight fours in his 89-ball knock. Kumar Sangakkara was named man of the match for his second-innings 185. All-rounder Abdul Razzaq made unbeaten 20 runs.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA — 1st innings: 185

PAKISTAN — 1st innings: 176

SRI LANKA — 2nd innings: 448-5 (decl)

PAKISTAN — 2nd innings (overnight 89-2)

S Malik not out 148

F Iqbal lbw b Maharoof 60

Inzamam c Dilshan b Muralitharan 48

A Razzaq not out 20

Extras: 19 (b6, lb7, nb5, w1)

Total: 337/4

FoW: 1-59, 2-71, 3-186, 4-267

Sri Lanka bowling: Malinga 13-3-44-0,

Maharoof 23-8-70-1, Muralitharan 42-13-94-3, Fernando 15-3-40-0, Bandara 14-4-35-0, Jayasuriya 13-3-37-0, Dilshan 1-0-4-0