Dhananjaya de Silva's unbeaten 87 leaves Sri Lanka 13 short of avoiding the follow-on

Sri Lanka reached lunch on day three in Rawalpindi at 221 for 4, still 13 runs short of the mark that would spare them the follow-on

Dhananjaya de Silva was unbeaten on 87 from 121 balls at the interval, an innings that has carried Sri Lanka a long way out of the position they were in on the second evening. They trail Pakistan by 213 runs with six first-innings wickets in hand.

The morning cost them one wicket. Kamindu Mendis, 40 overnight, added 18 more before he was caught behind off Mohammad Abbas for 58 from 131 balls, ending a fourth-wicket stand that had begun with Sri Lanka 65 for 3.

Kusal Mendis came in and was 21 from 52 balls at lunch, the two of them taking Sri Lanka past 200 without further loss. Pakistan's first innings had closed on 434 for 9 from 106.3 overs.

A recovery that began at 65 for 3

Sri Lanka's reply started badly on the second evening. Mohammad Abbas had Pasindu Sooriyabandara caught behind for a seven-ball duck in the third over, and debutant Saqib Khan then removed Dinesh Chandimal for 1.

Saqib Khan struck again to have Lahiru Udara caught behind for 42 from 52 balls, leaving the innings 65 for 3 and the follow-on a distant prospect.

De Silva and Kamindu Mendis saw out the rest of the day, reaching 114 for 3 before bad light ended play after 27.1 overs.

Abbas ends Kamindu's innings

The pair resumed on the third morning with the deficit at 320 and batted through the early part of the session without alarm.

Abbas broke it when Kamindu Mendis edged behind for 58, his 131-ball innings the second-longest stay of the Sri Lankan innings so far.

It was the second wicket of the innings for Abbas, who has been the most economical of the Pakistan bowlers across the two days.

The follow-on still in play

At 221 for 4 from 60 overs, Sri Lanka are 13 runs from the total that would take the follow-on out of Pakistan's hands.

De Silva, 13 short of a century of his own at lunch, has faced more deliveries than any other Sri Lankan in the innings.

Kusal Mendis has given him company for 52 balls, and the pair have so far seen off everything Pakistan have tried since the fourth wicket fell.

Five fifties and three debutants

Pakistan's 434 for 9 was built on five half-centuries, three of them from players making their Test debut.

Saud Shakeel top-scored with 93 from 199 balls, nine boundaries in it, and fell seven short of a hundred when he edged Asitha Fernando behind. It was his 12th Test fifty.

Captain Babar Azam made 50 from 58 balls before Dilshan Madushanka dismissed him. Tayyab Arif made 57 from 51 on debut, Mohammad Taha 51 from 105 and Arafat Minhas 52 from 72, the last two maiden Test half-centuries.

Ghazi Ghori was the one who missed out, out for 48 from 72 balls.

Pakistan's new bowlers share the work

Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka took three wickets each for Sri Lanka, with Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake and Sonal Dinusha taking one apiece.

In reply, Pakistan have leaned on their two debutants as much as on Abbas. Saqib Khan has 2-82 from 20 overs, Chandimal his first international wicket.

Arafat Minhas has bowled 10 overs for 39 without a wicket, his first spell in Test cricket coming on a surface that has given the bowlers steadily less as the match has gone on.

Scorecard: Pakistan 434 for 9 (106.3 overs); Sri Lanka 221 for 4 (60 overs) — Dhananjaya de Silva 87 not out, Kamindu Mendis 58, Kusal Mendis 21 not out; Mohammad Abbas two wickets, Saqib Khan 2-82.