Opener Tharanga Paranavitana stood close to his second consecutive half century and helped Sri Lanka gain a slim lead over Pakistan at lunch on the third day of the first cricket test Monday.
Paranavitana combined with Rangana Herath for a composed 68-run partnership for the second wicket after the early loss of Malinda Warnapura without a run on the board, caught by Younis Khan at slip off seam bowler Umar Gul.
Younis struck just before the interval, trapping Herath lbw for 15 and Sri Lanka at 70 for two at lunch _ a 20-run lead after erasing the first-innings deficit.
Paranavitana was unbeaten on 42, continuing from his first innings score of 72. The start of play was delayed Monday after overnight rain and Sri Lanka resumed at 0-0 after surviving one over without loss the previous evening.
On Sunday Mohammad Yousuf celebrated his return to test cricket with 112 runs that helped Pakistan reach 342 all out in its first innings in response to Sri Lanka's 292.
Yousuf was involved in two crucial partnerships with Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik during his innings that brought him his 29th test hundred.
Seamer Nuwan Kulasekera was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 4-71 while left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara took 2-77.
Pakistan's most senior batsman, Yousuf had been exiled from test cricket for 19 months after he signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League. But he was recalled by the authorities to tour Sri Lanka after he broke links with the unsanctioned Twenty20 league.
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.
