|| AFP ||

Sri Lanka's new spin king Prabath Jayasuriya reflected on his "tough" and lonely road to success after propelling the hosts to a thumping victory over Pakistan on Thursday in the second Test.

Jayasuriya claimed his fourth five-wicket haul in just his third Test to star in Sri Lanka's 246-run win to end the two-Test series level at 1-1 in Galle.

He only made his debut, aged 30, earlier this month and the left-hander made an instant impact with a match haul of 12 wickets in a Sri Lanka victory over Australia.

Jayasuriya's 29 red-ball wickets from his first three Tests is joint second in the all-time list, behind Indian leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, who took a leading 31 in his first three Tests.

"Captain [Dimuth Karunaratne] has faith in me and hopes I have delivered," the unassuming Jayasuriya told reporters.

Jayasuriya, who hails from Matale district in Central Province, made his Test debut after Sri Lanka's team was struck by a Covid outbreak ahead of the second Australia Test.

He grabbed the opportunity with both hands to run through the tourists, picking six wickets in each innings.

Jayasuriya is now the toast of Sri Lanka but he said he had initially struggled to find his footing after rising to first-class cricket from his rural hometown.

"It's been a tough journey," he said.