The fine start of the Sri Lankan run chase came after good show by Fawad Alam (114*) and Umar Akmal (59) negated Lasith Malinga's fiery spell (5/56) to help Pakistan set a 261-run target.
Sri Lanka bowled really well at the start but lost their way towards the end.
Malinga took his seventh five-wicket haul in ODIs but it may still not be enough for Sri Lanka as they have to chase a good total against a very good Pakistan bowling attack.
Pakistan made a superb comeback after being reduced to 18/3 and played very well to post a solid total on board. Alam and captain Misbah-ul-Haq led the way for Pakistan with a 122-run stand with both of them scoring fifties.
Misbah missed out on his hundred yet again but Alam went on to score his maiden ODI hundred.
Akmal in the end overs played a breezy knock of 59 to ensure they finished on a high as Pakistan scored 101 runs in the last ten overs.
Alam slammed his maiden one-day international hundred in 126 balls with 8 boundaries and 3 scintillating sixes to his credit and also put up a quick-fire 115-run stand with Akmal to propel Pakistan to a respectable total.
Akmal also hit 7 smashing boundaries to frustrate the Sri Lankan bowlers after Pakistan were in a spot of bother early.
Malinga rattled the Pakistani innings early on as he struck in successive overs to dismiss Sharjeel Khan and Ahmed Shehzad cheaply after skipper Misbah won the toss and decided to bat first.
Soon after, Malinga dismissed Mohammad Hafeez to leave the defending champions stuttering at 18/3 in 4.3 overs.
Misbah (65) and Fawad then staged a spirited fightback by putting up an impressive 122-run stand for the 4th wicket; however, the party was short-lived when Malinga dismissed the Pakistan captain.
Misbah came to the rescue and scored his 37th ODI fifty to give Pakistan some hope of achieving competitive total in the summit clash. He smashed three fours and two sixes in his innings.
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