Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 4 wickets to win the first of 2 tests between South Asian rivals

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Pakistan made the chase tough at times, but the visitors completed a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test of cricket on Thursday.

Pakistan continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, but opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq scored an unbeaten half-century, his eighth in Test cricket, to help the tourists before lunch on the fifth day.

Sri Lanka won the toss and batted, scoring 312, and Pakistan responded with 461 in their first innings. The home team scored 279 runs in his second at-bat, leaving Pakistan with 131 runs to win.

England closer Stuart Broad has joined an elite club of Test bowlers by claiming his 600th Test wicket.

Stuart Broad claimed his 600th Test wicket for England and under-fire wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow took three catches as Australia reached 299-8 at stumps on the first day of the Ashes Fourth Test.

Pakistan ended the fourth day of the first Test 48-3 while chasing a target of 131. That put the team on the brink of taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series against Sri Lanka.

Nat Sciver-Brunt reached another century as England claimed a draw in the Women’s Ashes series with a 69-run victory over Australia under the DLS method in the final one-day international at Taunton.

Pakistan did not get off to a good start and limped to 48 from three on stumps on day four.

When play resumed on the final day, Pakistan needed 83 runs and there were memories of the 2009 Test in Galle. It was then that the visitors needed 97 runs with eight wickets in hand chasing a target of 168, but they collapsed and were bowled out for 117.

Babar Azam added 41 runs for the fourth wicket on Thursday with Imam and the run chase looked like a mere formality, but Prabath Jayasuriya caught the Pakistan captain for 24 to give Sri Lanka some hope.

Saud Shakeel and Imam then added 43 runs for the fifth wicket, the former being the more dominant partner with his clever footwork against the spinners. He had come down the lane and delivered a fancy cover shot in front of Ramesh Mendis, but was caught behind the next ball to give Mendis his first wicket of the innings.

Jayasuriya claimed his fourth wicket when Sarfraz Ahmed, attempting to sweep, was caught on the back square leg by Kusal Mendis.

As wickets fell at the other end, Imam was unbeaten at 50, facing 84 deliveries and hitting four fours and one six.

Agha Salman came on in the sixth wicket fall for Pakistan needing four runs and completed the victory by pinning Jayasuriya at long range for six.

Shakeel was named man of the match, having recorded a double century under tremendous pressure in the first innings.

The second test starts next Monday in Colombo.

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