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The plaudits have come in thick and fast for first Test hero Abdullah Shafique with a former Pakistan great declaring his match-winning innings against Sri Lanka as one of the greatest he has ever seen from a Pakistan player.

Shafique showed his class with a brilliant unbeaten 160 to help Pakistan chase down 342 for victory on the final day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday and Wasim Akram was suitably impressed with his efforts as he took to social media to share his delight.

"Awesome innings … we have seen such a wonderful knock after a long time, especially in the fourth innings and the way the pitch was playing," Wasim hailed Shafique's heroic knock on Twitter.

It was an innings that oozed class from Shafique, with the young batter defying his age to blunt a dangerous Sri Lankan bowling attack that featured in-form spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.

"He took his full turn and that's under tremendous pressure… one of the best from a Pakistani I have ever seen...take a bow!"