Colombo: Rangana Herath's 14-wicket match haul helped ensure former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene retired from test cricket with a series sweep against Pakistan on Monday.
Herath took 5-57 in the second innings to propel Sri Lanka to a 105-run victory on the final morning of the second test after Pakistan was dismissed for 165 chasing 271 at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
He finished with a career-best 14-184 for the match, surpassing his previous mark of 12-157 against Bangladesh last year, and increased his series tally to 23 wickets after a match-winning performance in the first test at Galle.
Jayawardene ended his 149-match, 17-year test career with 11,814 runs at an average of nearly 50. His contribution in his last match was 58 runs, including a half century in the second innings, and three catches at his customary slips position. The 54 he scored in his last innings was his 50th half century. He also posted 34 test centuries in a long and distinguished span at the elite level.
After Kaushal Silva caught Wahab Riaz for the last wicket, Jayawardene was carried off the Sinhalese Sports Ground on the shoulders of his teammates.
Pakistan started the last day at 127-7, facing almost inevitable defeat with only the possibility of rain giving them some hope of saving the test.
Sarfraz Ahmed followed up his century in the first innings with 55 in the second before he was caught by Kumar Sangakkara in the deep off seam bowler Chanaka Welegedara. Ahmed faced 89 deliveries and hit two boundaries but his wicket spelled the end for Pakistan.
Riaz's dismissal sealed victory for Sri Lanka, with Junaid Khan unable to bat after being hit on the head by a Dhammika Prasad bouncer in the first innings.
The batting failed again for Pakistan, after the bowlers got the tourists back into contention on Sunday with eight Sri Lanka wickets for 105 in a remarkable comeback.
But Sri Lanka, led by Dhammika Prasad's two quick wickets and Herath, reveled in the conditions and gave long-serving Jayawardene a fitting farewell to the five-day format.
