Rangana Herath snared five wickets to limit Pakistan to 244-6 at stumps on day two of the second test after Sri lanka posted 320 in the first innings on Friday.
Herath starred with the bat and ball; he was in the Sri lanka tail that added an invaluable 59 for the last two wickets, then he turned around and rattled Pakistan's top order, reducing them to 140-5.
At that point, Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq revived Pakistan with a 93-run partnership for the sixth wicket at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
Shafiq (42) was dismissed shortly before stumps, giving Herath his 20th five-wicket haul and ending the 149-ball stand. Ahmed was unbeaten on 66 facing 81 deliveries and hitting five boundaries. Batting with him was Abdul Rehman on 1, and the tail exposed.
Pakistan trailed Sri lanka by 76 runs.
Herath also took the wickets of Khurram Manzoor (23), Azhar Ali (32), Younis Khan (13) and captain Misbah-ul-Haq (5) to finish the day with figures of 25-3-98-5.
Playing in his 17th test against Pakistan, Herath has taken 79 wickets against them.
"I don't do anything special," Herath said when asked about his phenomenal record against Pakistan. "Even with other countries I stick to the basics, but I realized Pakistanis don't play very well against me."
In the morning session Friday, Sri lanka resumed from its overnight score of 261-8 and plundered a bonus 59 runs.
Dhammika Prasad (13), Herath (17) and last man Chanaka Welegedara, 27 not out off 30 balls, ensured a competitive total.
Brief Scores
Sri lanka: 320 lead Pakistan: 244/6 9Sarfraz Ahmed no 66, Ahmed Shehzad 58; Rangana Herath 5/98, Dilruwan Perera 1/52) by 76 runs at stumps on Day 2.