A mix of old-school batting and innovation from Misbah-ul-Haq and butter-fingered Sri Lankan fielding put Pakistan in pole position to save the third Test in Sharjah. Saeed Ajmal hung around for most of the morning session with Misbah to help cut Pakistan's first-innings deficit to 73, despite Chanaka Welegedara's first five-wicket haul in Tests.

Sri Lanka were buoyed by some late blows on Saturday, and perked up even more after striking twice early today. Welegedara removed Abdur Rehman in the first over of the day, getting the batsman to nick to slip, where Mahela Jayawardene fumbled but the ball landed in the Tharanga Paranavitana's lap at first slip. Soon after, Umar Gul heaved a length ball to mid-off and Sri Lanka were eyeing an early end to the Pakistan innings.

That would have happened if wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva had held on to a regulation take after Misbah edged Rangana Herath early in the day. That was the easiest of the three lives Misbah had - Angelo Mathews flew goalkeeper-style at mid-off but couldn't latch on, and Paranavitana put down a similarly difficult chance at square leg.

Misbah made the most of those opportunities. He may have scored at a rate deemed slow even by Test standards, but there were also several moves from him that wouldn't have been out of place in a limited-overs game: he kept shuffling around in his crease, especially against Herath; there was a reverse-sweep for four; and a piledriver of a six past long-on.

He regularly declined singles to shield No. 10 Ajmal, and though there were some close lbw calls the pair defied Sri Lanka for 18 precious overs, which didn't just reduce Sri Lanka's lead but ate into the time available to force a result. Misbah looked headed for his fourth Test century, but a top-edged a slog-sweep off Suraj Randiv to fall for 89. The final pair couldn't last very long after that, with Welegedara removing Junaid Khan to wrap up the innings and complete his five-for.