Kumar Sangakkara hit an unbeaten century to steer Sri Lanka to a draw in the final Test against Pakistan here on Friday and win his first series as captain.
The left-hander made 130 not out as Sri Lanka, faced with a world record target of 492, defied the Pakistani bowlers to finish with 391-4 on the fifth day at the Sinhalese sports club.
The rock solid Sangakarra's 19th Test century featured a fourth-wicket stand of 122 with Thilan Samaraweera (73) and 114 for the unbroken fifth with Angelo Mathews (64 not out).
Sri Lanka clinched the series 2-0, their first at home against Pakistan after five unsuccessful attempts, and provided Sangakkara with a winning start as captain after he took over from Mahela Jayawardene in April.
Sangakkara hung on for nearly seven hours on a placid pitch to frustrate Pakistan's bid to record a face-saving win ahead of the five-match one-day series starting at Dambulla on July 30.
The two teams went into the last session of the match with Sri Lanka needing 154 runs from a possible 38 overs to record a record-breaking win and Pakistan requiring six wickets.
The hosts gave an indication they would prefer to settle for a draw when they made just 76 runs from 26 overs in the two hours after lunch.
Play was finally called off when 15 overs remained with Sri Lanka needing a further 101 runs.
It was the first time in the series that play went into the fifth day after the tourists lost the first Test in four days and the second in three.
Sangakkara and Samaraweera, who resumed the day at 183-3, batted through the morning session to take Sri Lanka to 262 without further loss by lunch.
The pair made a cautious start in the morning, scoring 50 runs in 21 overs before Pakistan captain Younus Khan took the second new ball as soon as it was due in the 81st over.
Samaraweera welcomed the change by driving the first delivery from Umar Gul to the cover fence and executing another perfect off-drive from the last ball of the over.
Sri Lanka suffered a setback soon after lunch when Samaraweera strained a hamstring while taking a single and called for a runner.
Samaraweera was dismissed when he failed to read a straight ball from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and nicked an easy catch to wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal.
Scoreboard
Pakistan 1st innings 299
Khurram Manzoor 93, Mohammad Yousuf 90, T. Thushara 5-83
Sri Lanka 1st innings 233
K. Sangakkara 45, M. Jayawardene 79, D. Kaneria 5-62
Pakistan 2nd innings 425-9 decl
Shoaib Malik 134, Kamran Akmal 74, R. Herath 5-157
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
T. Paranavitana c Alam b Malik 73
M. Warnapura c Malik b Kaneria 31
K. Sangakkara not out 130
M. Jayawardene c Akmal b Kaneria 2
T. Samaraweera c Akmal b Ajmal 73
A. Mathews not out 64
Extras
b1, lb7, nb9, w1
18
Total
for 4 wkts
391
Fall of wkts
1-83, 2-139, 3-155, 4-277
Bowling
Gul 12-0-65-0 (nb5), Aamer 21-5-46-0 (nb1), Younus 8-0-25-0 (w1), Ajmal 43-9-95-1, Malik 14-1-38-1 (nb3), Kaneria 36-3-114-2
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