Chandimal's knock puts SL in lead despite Shaheen's bag of five.

KARACHI -- Riding on Dinesh Chandimal's first significant contribution with the bat in almost a year, Sri Lanka grinded out a crucial lead of 80 runs on the first innings over Pakistan in the second and final Test here at the National Stadium on Friday.

And although Shaheen Shah Afridi registered his maiden five-for and the ever-accurate Mohammad Abbas captured four wickets, Pakistan still had to ensure they didn't replicate the first day's batting capitulation. Fortunately for the hosts both Shan Masood - who survived a DRS call late in the evening - and Abid Ali batted through the remaining 65 minutes of the final period to take their team to 57 without loss from 14 overs, reducing Sri Lanka's lead to 23 at stumps.

After his debut hundred at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Abid is looking in fine touch and full of confidence as he reached 32 (off 42 balls, four boundaries). Shan, on the other hand, battled hard for his 21 after falling cheaply in the first innings after starting the short series with a duck last week.

With nine sessions over the next three days still to go, a result is definitely in the offing after the first Test in Rawalpindi was badly affected by rain.

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Shaheen finished with 5-77 in 26,5 overs and Abbas' nagging length fetched him 4-55 from 27 overs. Young Nasim Shah was unlucky on a couple of occasions and also had a catch spilled, but he tried without any luck.

The engrossing battle here in Karachi was evenly poised at the beginning of the second day which resumed with Sri Lanka on 64-3 in reply to Pakistan's below par tally of 191. And as the day wore on, the weather became quite hot. The change in climate helped in easing out the pitch, which according to Chandimal is still tough to bat on.

Pakistan openers score 57 in quick time in second outing

'No doubt the weather had a role in making conditions a bit friendly for the batsmen because today it was hot out there. Even then one had to grind hard for runs and at no time the batsmen felt comfortable because the pitch had something for the bowlers,' Chandimal told the reporters. 'Pakistan have made a good start in the second innings but we will be aiming to get a couple of early wickets tomorrow [Saturday] to put them under pressure.'

Chandimal, who was sacked as the Test captain in February following a disastrous tour of Australia, regained form with a solid 74 from 143 deliveries - the 30-year-old right-hander's first half-century since he made...