KANDY, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Asad Shafiq hit his second test hundred as Pakistan declared their second innings setting Sri Lanka a 270-run victory target on the fifth day of the third and final test at the Pallekele Stadium on Thursday.
The visitors batted for 100 minutes and allowed Shafiq (100 not out) to get the century before declaring at 380 for eight wickets and giving themselves 71 overs to bowl Sri Lanka out and level the series.
Sri Lanka were 27 for no loss at lunch break with Tharanga Paranavitana (nine) and Dinesh Chandimal (14) in the middle.
The hosts need another 243 runs to win the series 2-0 while Pakistan would push for a series-levelling victory to maintain their record of never having lost a test series under Misbah-ul-Haq's captaincy.
Resuming on 299 for eight, Pakistan's ninth wicket pair of Shafiq and Adnan Akmal (35 not out) shared an unbroken 81-run partnership on a benign pitch.
Shafiq showed a lot of maturity and reached his hundred with a single to square leg off Rangana Herath before the declaration came.
Shafiq batted for 195 balls and hit nine fours in his chanceless innings.
Akmal, batting with a hairline fracture on his left-hand, was no less impressive in his 96-ball gritty knock.
Herath was Sri Lanka's best bowler, ending with figures of four for 99, while Dilhara Fernando took three for 74.
(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)