Kandy, April 4:

Seamer Mohammad Asif led Pakistan’s fightback on Tuesday with a remarkable five-wicket burst in the second and final Test against Sri Lanka.

Asif wrecked Sri Lanka’s top order before the hosts reached 73-8 in their second innings at stumps on the second day, for an overall lead of 182.

Asif threw the match wide open after his team had crashed to 170 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 279.

He has so far captured 11 wickets in the match following his six-wicket haul in the first innings. Twenty wickets fell during the eventful day’s play, leaving the Test delicately poised. Muttiah Muralitharan had triggered Pakistan’s collapse with 5-39.

But Asif sustained his team’s hopes of clinching the series after the drawn opening Test at Colombo, finishing with 5-27 off just 12 overs. Sri Lanka lost eight wickets in less than 25 overs in a dramatic closing session. Asif was supported by seamer Abdul Razzaq, who bagged three wickets.

Sri Lanka were also a quality batsman short after Sanath Jayasuriya was ruled out of the remainder of the match due to a thumb injury. The left-handed opener sustained the injury while taking a catch off Imran Farhat in the morning session of his farewell Test.

Pakistan were comfortably placed at 121-2 before floundering against Muralitharan. Younis Khan top-scored with 35, followed by Kamran Akmal (33) and Farhat (23).

Sri Lanka earlier added just 12 runs to their overnight total of 267-8 before being all out. Asif finished with his Test best haul of 6-44.