Aaqib Javed praised Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal after they put the visitors in a commanding position against Sri Lanka.

Aamer and Ajmal claimed three wickets apiece as they skittled the hosts for a mere 217 in their second innings.

It left Pakistan, who had already gained a first-innings lead of 50 runs, needing just 168 to secure the series lead.

The 17-year-old left-arm paceman Aamer was chiefly responsible for the low target as he rattled Sri Lanka's strong middle order with three quick wickets in the afternoon session of day three.

Aamer dismissed opener Tharanga Paranavitana for 49 and also claimed the wickets of Mahela Jayawardene for a second-ball duck and captain Kumar Sangakkara for 14 to put the visitors on top.

Off-spinner Ajmal, 31, then ran through the tail, finishing with figures of three for 34 from 12.2 overs and leaving Javed delighted with the performance of his bowlers.

"Aamer is a great prospect for Pakistan cricket," the Pakistan bowling coach said.

"He's got everything a bowler can possess.

"He's sharp, can swing the ball both ways and has a good temperament.

"At the start he was basically an in-swing bowler to a right-hand batsman, but last year I worked with him on the ball that goes away from the right-hander.

"I'm satisfied with his progress and am certain that he will be a complete bowler.

"His biggest asset is that he has a great mind and is a thinking bowler."

Ajmal, the only specialist spinner in Pakistan's line-up, claimed only one wicket in the first innings but Javed put that down to first-match blues.

"Ajmal was playing his first Test match and was a little nervous in the first innings," he said.

"He was a little hesitant to send down his full repertoire of deliveries, but I'm pleased with the way he bowled in the second innings.

"(Abdur) Rauf has got talent and, because he is tall, he gets extra bounce from the pitch.

Still lots to learn

"But he has to learn that on these pitches he has to strike a fuller length. His natural tendency is to bowl a slightly shorter length.

"He's learning and he could be a handful on bouncy and seaming tracks."

Sri Lanka hit back in the final session with the wickets of opener Khurram Manzoor and Younus Khan in quick succession towards close, but Pakistan were left needing just 97 runs with eight wickets and two full days remaining.

Javed said it was important for Pakistan to show they were competitive in all forms of the game.

"I'm confident the team will get the runs tomorrow and this certainly will be a great victory after the World Twenty20 triumph," he said.

"It's important that we win because we have to show that we have a good team in any format of the game."