Pakistan comfortably win the Colombo Test after Sri Lanka collapse to Wasim Akram.

The Sinhalese Sports Club may have been ludicrously empty for such an appetising spectacle but it was far from quiet. Spurred on by a vocal contingent of resident Pakistanis, who chanted `Pakistan Zindabad' with all the passion they could muster, Pakistan overwhelmed Sri Lanka to win this centenary test match by five wickets.

They did so thanks to a virtuous performance with both bat and ball by Wasim Akram. Fuelled by his record breaking achievements of the previous day, Akram claimed a five wicket haul for the 25th time in his test match career to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 123 in their second innings.

Then, with his team under increasing pressure as Mutiah Muralitharan threatened to single-handedly conjure up a dramatic victory for Sri Lanka, Wasim Akram (20*) strode to the crease and for the second time in the match rescued his side. Sensibly promoted in the order by Moin Khan, he came to the crease at the fall of the third wicket and quickly wrestled the initiative away from Muralitharan and by doing so ensured a Pakistan victory.

Dav Whatmore paid tribute to him after the game: " I thought that the significant turning point in the game was the 90 run last wicket partnership in the Pakistan innings and the guy who engineered that was Wasim Akram. It just goes to show what a great, world class player that he is."

Moin Khan was equally pleased with his senior pro: "The way that he has played in the West Indies and now here has been really tremendous. It was a great effort by the boys today. The series defeat by Sri Lanka was in our minds when we came here and the boys were looking to win here. But there are still two games to go and they will be harder to win."

This may well have been a tense and closely contested test match but Sri Lanka know that the consistenly miraculous bowling performances of Mutiah Muralitharan mask worrying problems for this Sri Lankan side.

Murali apart, the Sri Lankan bowling attack lacks the penetration that this Pakistan side possesses. The attack thrives on the honest virtues of hard work, discipline and patience. The seamers bowl tightly and Murali takes the wickets at the other end. However when Murali doesn't take the wickets the problems arrive, and in this test match Pakistan were let off the hook when they were still 93 runs in arrears when they lost their ninth first innings wicket.

The Sri Lankans will also be worried by the performance of the batsmen. Without a penetrative bowling attack additional responsibility falls onto the shoulders of the batsmen. Arjuna Ranatunga, Russel Arnold and Romesh Kaluwitharana will quickly have to regain their form if Sri Lanka are to win this series.

Starting the morning on 53-2 Aravinda De Silva and Marvan Attapattu struggled against some fine fast bowling by Abdul Razzaq. A rythmical eleven over spell yielded only one wicket but set the tone for the day and should have yielded greater reward.

It was Arshad Khan that broke through first. Bowling tightly and benefiting from the pressure created by Razzaq he induced a Marvan Attapattu (40) into a top edged cut which was well caught by Saeed Anwar diving forward at point. The dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse in which Sri Lanka lost their last eight wickets for just 56.

Mahela Jayawardena (1) couldn't continue his good form of the first innings and was caught at bat pad off Arshad Khan. Aravinda De Silva (21) who had struggled against Razzaq and had already been dropped once finally succumbed and was easily caught by Inzamann at first slip. Kaluwitharana (6) continued his recent poor form with the bat when he was also caught at bat pad.

Wasim Akram replaced Razzaq at the press box end and finished off the innings by taking the last four wickets. Arjuna Ranatunga (7) clipped lamely to square leg before a brief fight back from Zoysa (13) and Chaminda Vaas (20). Incensed by a correct LBW decision by Umpire B.C. Cooray, Akram then caught and bowled Chaminda Vaas off a top edged pull. Nuwam Zoysa was caught in the slips on the very next delivery and Dilhara Fernando (0) was only able to survive for four deliveries.

With Pakistan needing just 131 for victory Sri Lanka's only chance was Mutiah Muralitharan. So when Saeed Anwar (6) hooked a well directed short delivery straight to Dilhara Fernando at long leg it came as an unexpected bonus.

In the tenth over Muralitharan was introduced to the attack. Immediately Youhana (11) attacked and hit him over the top. The intentions were clear: Pakistan weren't prepared to get tied down chasing a small target. They attacked where possible and ran aggressively between the wickets.

Going into tea on 50-1 they looked clear favorites but were struggling soon after as Mutiah Muralitharan claimed two wickets in the first over after tea: Youhana unlucky to be bowled off bat and pad and Mohammad Wasim (30) comprehensively beaten by the straighter delivery and easily caught at silly point.

Enter Wasim Akram(20*) to restore order and confidence to a nervous batting line-up. Despite Moin Khan (11) receiving a poor LBW decision from B.C. Cooray, Pakistan never looked like losing with Wasim Akram at the crease. In the end the match was sealed by two towering sixes by Abdul Razzaq.