PALLEKELE: Younis Khan's epic 171 steered Pakistan to a historic victory over Sri Lanka as the tourists chased down a mammoth 377 on the final day to clinch the three-match series on Wednesday.

Pakistan sealed their highest run chase and the second highest in the sub-continent with the win. It was also sixth highest successful chase in history.

Read: Younis makes history

Shan Masood fell for 125 but Younis Khan continued from where he left off on the fourth day as Pakistan achieved the target for the loss of just three wickets at the Pallekle International Stadium.

Younis was unbeaten on 171 with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (59) at the other end as the visitors registered a remarkable win.

Off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal drew Masood out of his crease with flight and beat him with turn to have him stumped but not before the opener had added 242 runs with Younis to turn the match on its head.

Even after Masood departed after scoring 125, Younis played with characteristic fluency, hitting 18 boundaries in his unbeaten 271-ball knock.

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Pakistan entered the final day’s play needing a further 147 runs with eight wickets in hand on a wearing, but easy-paced Pallekele pitch.

It was the first time a visiting team scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test on Sri Lankan soil.

Pakistan’s previous highest successful chase was 314, made against Australia in Karachi in 1994.

Pakistan won the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets and Sri Lanka took the second in Colombo by seven wickets.

The tourists finally ended a long streak of not winning in Sri Lanka where they lost the last three series in 2009, 2012 and 2014.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 278 and 313; Pakistan 215 and 382/3

Misbah-ul-Haq with the series trophy. — AFP

Quotes from the captains

Angelo Mathews: “That was not a small total to get, so obviously I am very disappointed. I thought we were sitting pretty when we gave them 377 to win.

“It was a good game of cricket, but Pakistan played better than us and deserved to win. There may have been a bit more turn towards the end, but there was nothing in the wicket for the seamers over the last couple of days.

“We know we don't have Mahela and Sanga. We will need to take on the challenge and move on.”

Misbah-ul-Haq: “This is such a big victory for us. We had lost some Tests in Sri Lanka earlier because we panicked. We just wanted to bat calmly this time.

“This series win means a lot to me after we did not fare well in the last three series in Sri Lanka.

“Both Younis and Masood took the game away from Sri Lanka. And Yasir has been so good in this series. I am glad the youngsters are doing so well for the team.”

Former greats weigh in on epic win

Inzamam-ul-Haq: “It's a historic win. The win is more praiseworthy because we are considered weak chasers but the boys led by Younis and Masood helped clinch that in a remarkable way which I know lot of people would not have expected.

“I am pleased with the team's ability to fight back because after getting bowled out for 215 in the first innings it was difficult to come back and Sri Lanka were dominant but Pakistan put up a brilliant fightback and to be able to score 377 in the last innings will give confidence to the team for future.

“It will give them the belief that they can chase 350-plus or 400 in future Tests.

“It is good that that long-standing record is now erased. Younis has proved to be the key and has reposed the confidence a team can have in a senior player.”

Javed Miandad: “It's a remarkable win. The chase has proved that our players are capable and have the potential to be the best in the world.

“I can't say much about Younis, but his performance speaks for him.”

Stats galore

• Pakistan series win over Sri Lanka was their first on the island since 2006

• It was the first time a visiting team scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a Test on Sri Lankan soil

• Pakistan recorded their highest successful run-chase after the win in the 3rd Test. Their previous highest chase ws 314, made against Australia in Karachi in 1994

• Younis, who made his 100th Test appearance in the second match, ended the game just 19 runs away from surpassing Javed Miandad's tally of 8,832 runs to become Pakistan's leading scorer in Tests

• Younis' five hundreds in the fourth innings — in a career tally of 30 — are the most by any batsman

• There have been only 22 instances of teams scoring 350+ runs in the 4th inns since. There have been only 49 such chases in Test history