Karachi, Feb. 21: Mahela Jayawardena and Thilan Samaraweera hit punishing hundreds to lead Sri Lanka’s run charge against Pakistan on the opening day of the first Test here on Saturday as the tourists reached 406/3.

The Sri Lankan skipper was unbeaten on 136 — his 25th Test hundred — while Samaraweera notched 130 not out for his eighth hundred after the tourists won the toss and decided to bat.

The 31-year-old Jayawardena, whose lack of form in recent one-day matches forced him to step down from the captaincy after the current two-Test series against Pakistan, also completed 8,000 career Test runs during the innings.

Samaraweera matched his skipper shot for shot and the pair added 229 for the unfinished fourth-wicket stand, blunting Pakistan’s three-pronged pace attack on an unresponsive pitch.

Jayawardena has so far knocked 20 boundaries during his 239-ball innings. The Sri Lankan skipper hit leg-spinner Danish Kaneria for his 15th boundary to reach his century — his first against Pakistan. He now has a hundred against all nine Test playing nations.

When on 37, Jayawardene hit debutant paceman Sohail Khan for a boundary to complete 8,000 runs in his 101st Test. Jaywardena also rode his luck, benefiting from three dropped catches.

When on 17 paceman Umar Gul dropped him off his own bowling and later on 43, Misbah-ul Haq spilled an easy catch off a luckless Sohail. On 123, Shoaib Malik grassed another catch, again off Sohail to cap a miserable day for the home team.

The more sedate Samaraweera hit Malik for his 15th boundary to complete his century. He has so far hit 21 boundaries during his 155-ball knock.

— AFP