Dimuth Karunaratna and Kaushal Silva scored half centuries as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 9 wickets in the 2nd Test played in Dubai on Sunday and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Paceman Suranga Lakmal took all three wickets to fall on the fifth morning to finish with a career-best 4-78 and wrap up Pakistan’s second innings for 359 before Sri Lanka knocked off the meagre 137-run target for the loss of just one wicket.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne (62 not out) hit the winning runs after putting on 124 for the first wicket with Kaushal Silva who fell after scoring 58. Kumar Sangakkara remained unbeaten on nine.

In a surprise move, Pakistan opened the bowling with off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez but both Sri Lankan openers played with authority.

Silva hit five boundaries before being trapped leg-before by Saeed Ajmal. Karunaratne hit eight boundaries off 125 balls.

Ajmal was once again ineffective, and has now taken five wickets in two Tests.

Pakistan will be desperate to level the series in the third Test starting in Sharjah from Thursday to avoid its first  series defeat in the United Arab Emirates, its adopted base for cricket since 2010 because of security fears back home.

The first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.