Pakistan`s bowlers gave their side an early initiative by bowling out Sri Lanka for 239 on Wednesday on the first day of the second cricket test at Dubai International Stadium.

Pakistan replied strongly with openers Taufeeq Umar (20 not out) and Mohammad Hafeez (18 not out) taking their team to 42-0 by the close.

Earlier, fast bowlers Umar Gul (3-78) and Junaid Khan (2-57) wrecked Sri Lanka`s top order after the visitors won the toss and opted to bat.

Kumar Sangakkara made a battling 78 while Chanaka Welegedara, who compiled a career-best 48, and Rangana Herath (29) propped up the tail-end after Sri Lanka slumped to 154-8 with the departure of the 33-year-old Sangakkara following a 3 hour innings.

Welegedara and Herath added 75 for the ninth wicket to give Sri Lanka`s innings some respectability.

Pakistan`s slow bowlers did the later damage with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal leading the way with 3-45 and left-armer Abdur Rehman claiming 2-40.

In the morning, Gul led the Pakistanis with an inspired new ball spell of 10 overs, claiming the first three wickets to fall.

The paceman struck in the day`s third over when he trapped Lahiru Thirimanne (1) plumb leg before with one that jagged back off the seam.

Gul further dented the Sri Lankans with a double strike in his fifth over.

The 27-year-old claimed Tharanga Paranavitana (6) through a first slip catch to captain Misbah-ul-Haq as he edged a square cut. Misbah grasped a second catch four balls later as veteran Mahela Jayawardene (6) probed outside off and deflected again to first slip to leave Sri Lanka on 30-3.

Junaid soon got into the action when he removed Tillakaratne Dilshan for 7. The Sri Lanka skipper provided Misbah with his third catch at first slip as he tried to force off the back foot.

Sangakkara, fresh off a match-saving 211 in the first test, shared a fifth wicket stand of 28 with Angelo Mathews.

Sangakkara should have been removed on 27 when Taufeeq failed to hold on to a catch over his head as the left-hander sliced a drive at Ajmal.

But Junaid struck just before the lunch break as Mathews (19) feathered a catch through to wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal at 73-5.

Sangakkara and new wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva, replacing the injured Prasanna Jayawardene, shared a sixth-wicket stand of 54 after lunch before Pakistan`s slow bowlers took over.

Rehman made a crucial breakthrough when debutant Silva (20) missed a sweep and was out lbw.

Sangakkara, who passed his 50 with two boundaries in one over from Gul, added a further 27 with Dhammika Prasad before both fell off successive deliveries.

Ajmal claimed Prasad (7) to a thin edge to wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal off a doosra.

First ball of the next over from Rehman, Sangakkara fell tamely as he lofted to deepish mid-on at 154-8.

But Pakistan was held up in its quest to finish off the innings as Welegedara and Herath dug in. Left-hander Herath benefited from a sharp chance to Younus at slip going down off Rehman before he had scored.

He struck two fours off 67 balls before he finally perished late in the day to Ajmal, caught at slip off the leading edge as he played across an off break.

Welegedara fell just short of a maiden test 50, Ajmal foxing him with a doosra and Akmal completing a swift stumping. Welegedara lashed four fours and two sixes off 127 deliveries.

Hafeez and Taufeeq, who each hit three boundaries, confidently reduced the deficit to 197 by close. Taufeeq, who hit a memorable 236 in the first test, endured a few anxious moments against the seam of Prasad but survived to the close.