Sri Lanka hit back with two quick wickets after Pakistan's three debutant bowlers held its much-vaunted batting lineup to a modest 292 all out in the first innings of the first test Saturday.
Pakistan was 15-2 at the end of the opening day's play at Galle International Stadium. The test is the first between the sides since a deadly terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team and its security convoy during a test in Lahore in March.
Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Kulasekera bowled opener Sulman Butt in the second ball of the innings and later his partner Thilan Thushara trapped Khurram Manzoor lbw for two runs to leave the visitors on 5-2.
Captain Younis Khan and night-watchman Abdur Rauf were batting at the close.
Khan won the toss and opted to field. Mohammad Aamer, a 17-year-old left-arm seam bowler, provided Pakistan with its first breakthrough in the second over and eventually returned his side's best bowling figures of 3-74.
"I am happy with the way I bowled. I also bowled well in the Twenty20 but test cricket is the real game so I am particularly happy," he said.
He was confident that his team had enough batting to overtake the Sri Lanka total and said a 200-run lead would put pressure on the hosts.
Aamer bowled opener Malinda Warnapura (2) off the inside edge, and then shaped one away from the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara (9) to force a catch at second slip by Shoaib Malik to leave the host team struggling on 21-2.
Sri Lanka was steadied by a 75-run stand for the third wicket, with opener Tharanga Paranavitana batting calmly for his maiden test half-century.
Rauf, sight-arm seam bowler, claimed his first wicket when he dismissed Jayawardene (30) via a catch to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.
Thilan Samaraweera was dismissed for 31, caught by Akmal off Khan and Rauf returned to grab his second wicket when he had top-scorer Paranavitana caught for 72 by Misbah-ul-Haq at slip.
Paranavitana faced 125 balls, hitting 11 fours during his spell.
"I think this total is enough on this pitch, it's a bit hard to bat on because there is some seam movement," Paranavitana said. "I was able to go for some runs because I stuck to my basics."
It was the first time Paranavitana has played since suffering a chest wound in the Lahore attack.
"Though I received a gunshot I was lucky it did not affect my cricket. I was in hospital only for seven days," he said.
Anjelo Mathews, playing in his first test match, scored 42 runs.
Rauf recorded 2-59 while debutant offspinner Saeed Ajmal and Khan also captured two wickets apiece.
Pakistan handed first test caps to three players _ Aamer, Rauf and Ajmal _ while Sri Lanka allrounder Mathews played his first test for the hosts. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath replaced Muttiah Muralitharan, who was ruled out of the match with an injured knee.
