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Pakistan stalled inexplicably on their ascent over Sri Lanka after the free-flowing Mohammad Hafeez's dismissal, defending everything, even half-volleys, and simply refusing to take charge of a second session they should have dominated. An inexperienced attack - save the relentless Rangana Herath - was flagging in the hot conditions but Taufeeq Umar and Azhar Ali plodded along at under two runs an over, with absolutely no urgency.

Pakistan should have taken the lead before tea but with an approach like Azhar's - who remained stuck on 7 for 43 deliveries at one stage - they scraped 59 runs in 30 overs in the second session.

Azhar's somnolence was matched by Taufeeq's inability to make use of having spent more than four hours battling the heat, which brought him the inevitable cramps, but not as many runs as he was in a position to make. On a pitch that refused to respond to the bowlers' efforts beyond offering some turn for Herath, Sri Lanka were reduced to hoping that the stonewalling would result in a mistake. Pakistan offered only one clear chance when Azhar edged Herath towards slip during his long vigil on 7, but Mahela Jayawardene could not grasp the ball as it died in front of him.

That Pakistan were in sight of Sri Lanka's total was down to the purpose that Hafeez displayed in the morning session. There was a testing spell from Sri Lanka's spinners, who managed to restrict Hafeez briefly but could not strike after the fast bowlers struggled to make an impact. Sri Lanka would have wanted more from their seamers after the batsmen failed yesterday, but an in-form Hafeez proved hard to crack on the flat surface.

The heat also restricted the length and effectiveness of the seamers' spells; only Herath consistently troubled the batsmen with clever use of flight and variations.

Herath and Tillakaratne Dilshan bowled a spell of nine overs for only 11 runs after Chanaka Welegedara and debutant Nuwan Pradeep had gone for 37 in the first eight overs of the day. Herath beat Hafeez with flight and turn off his third delivery and would have sneaked a carrom ball through him but for a late inside edge.

The Pakistan openers' response, as their Sri Lanka counterparts had done yesterday, was to withdraw from scoring almost totally. Four consecutive maidens from Herath and Dilshan followed and suddenly there were plays-and-misses, caught-behind appeals, edges past slip and general tentativeness from the batsmen.

Dilshan made way for his third seamer, Suranga Lakmal, though, and Pakistan were able to breathe. Hafeez reached his fifty with a flail past gully and soon lofted Herath for a straight six. Taufeeq remained content to mostly defend, at times overdoing it, but with Hafeez flowing, the combination hurt Sri Lanka till Herath's arm ball to trap him in front for 75.

Hafeez took all life from the innings with him, but Pakistan seemed to have woken up at the stroke of tea, with Azhar taking Lakmal for consecutive fours and bringing the session run-rate up to almost two an over.