Sri Lankan lost the key wicket of Kumar Sangakkara before reaching 133-3 at tea on the opening day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah today.
Sangakkara's dismissal gave Pakistan some consolation after he added 60 for the third wicket with Mahela Jayawardene (unbeaten on 25) as Sri Lanka added 69 in the post lunch session after opting to bat in the morning.
Dinesh Chandimal was the other not out batsman without scoring.
Sangakkara flicked a straight drive into the hands of mid-wicket off paceman Junaid Khan, two balls after completing his half-century.
The left-hander could have been dismissed on 14 when he gloved a miscued sweep which Younis Khan caught in the slip off Rehman but Indian umpire Sundaran Ravi turned down a vociferous appeal.
Unfortunately Pakistan did not challenge the decision while television replays showed the ball had hit the batsman's glove.
Sangakkara took full advantage of the lucky escape, hitting Junaid for his fifth boundary to reach his 44th half-century but perished soon after.
Pakistan had removed both Sri Lankan openers Kaushal Silva (17) and Dimuth Karunaratne on either side of lunch.
Paceman Mohammad Talha, one of three changes in Pakistan's line-up, forced an edge off Silva in his second spell to leave Sri Lanka 31-1.
Silva -- who made 81, 95 and 58 in the series -- hit one boundary.
Left-hander Karunaratne hit two boundaries and a six before he edged left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman in the first over after lunch and was caught by Younis Khan in the slips.
Sri Lankan lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test in Dubai. The first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.
