Pakistan snatch thrilling series-levelling Test victory to see off Whatmore

Having done everything right for most of the four days, Sri Lanka's final target of 302 is scaled down with the help of Azhar Ali's century in fading light at Sharjah.

Azhar Ali celebrates his century as he showed urgency to take his team over the line in Sharjah against Sri Lanka. Ishara Kodikara / AFP

SHARJAH // Misbah-ul-Haq generally prefers not too veer too far from a state of being entirely impassive, but he still does a good line in compassion.

In understated fashion, of course, the Pakistan captain definitely does have feelings, judged by the aftermath of yesterday’s stunning run-chase against Sri Lanka.

On the unpopulated steps of the home team dressing room at Sharjah Stadium, while the celebrations took place inside, he wrapped one caring arm around Dav Whatmore.

“This is your day,” Misbah said quietly to the outgoing coach, without ceremony and preferably without anyone eavesdropping. “We won this for you.”

This was the end of the line for the odd couple, who have been not so much good cop, bad cop as pensive captain, feisty coach for Pakistan for the past two years.

Their union has not really harvested much in the way of tangible achievements, but at least Whatmore’s curtain-call was a happy one.

Misbah termed this five-wicket win the finest single Test success in his time in office, although he did deem the series whitewash of England as a superior achievement.

And it was all the sweeter as a leaving gift to the coach.

“He has been working with us for two years so we have attachment,” said Misbah, who marked the winning runs by miming the action of twisting a moustache in honour of Whatmore.

“When somebody leaves you, you want to finish on a good note and I was really, really praying for that.

“We wanted to win it for Pakistan and win it for Dav. You could say that we have given him a good send off. It was important.”

Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, reckoned the “small mistake” of day five had cost his side the series, rather than the generally cautious play they adopted over the duration of the Test.

“Rather than going for runs and losing wickets, we defended because we knew we were leading the series and we don’t need to take a big risk,” Mathews said.

“On the fifth day there wasn’t much turn for the spinners. It’s still a very good wicket.

“We bowled on leg stump because there was rough outside the leg stump. We thought that something would happen for the spinners, and they’d get some help.

“We were trying to get wickets that way. They batted really well. Our batting in the second innings is what lost us the match.

“Throughout this series we’ve played well. On the last day we made a small mistake and the match slipped away from us.”

Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE

For a slideshow of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, click here.