Pakistan teenager Mohammad Aamer made an auspicious test debut by grabbing two quick wickets as Sri Lanka ended the opening session of the first test at 104-3 on Saturday.
The 17-year-old left-arm seam bowler gave his team the important first breakthrough in the second over of the match, justifying the decision of captain Younis Khan to bowl first after winning the toss at Galle International Stadium.
He bowled Sri Lanka opener Malinda Warnapura (2) off the inside edge, and then shaped one away from the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara (9) to force a catch at second slip by Shoaib Malik to leave the hosts 2-21.
He was unlucky not to have bagged a third when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal dropped Mahela Jayawardene when he was yet to score.
Sri Lanka steadied with a 75-run stand for the third wicket, as opener Tharanga Paranavitana batted calmly for his maiden test half-century and combined with Jayawardene.
Another Pakistan debutant, right-arm seamer Abdur Rauf, claimed his first ever wicket when he dismissed Jayawardene (30) via a catch to Akmal.
At lunch, Paranavitana was unbeaten on 57 off 72 balls including nine boundaries while Thilan Samaraweera was not out 3.
Pakistan handed first test caps to three players - Aamer, Rauf and offspinner Saeed Ajmal - while Sri Lanka allrounder Anjelo Mathews played his first test for the hosts. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath replaced spin great Muttiah Muralitharan who was ruled out of the match with an injured knee.
The test is the first between the sides since a deadly terrorist attack upon the Sri Lanka team and its security convoy during a test in Lahore earlier this year.
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