Paceman Thisara Perera bagged a career-best 6-44 and Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a century as Sri Lanka posted an easy 76-run win over Pakistan in the second one-day international on Saturday.

The hosts, who scored a challenging 4-280, bowled Pakistan out for 204 in the day-night match despite an impressive 96 by opener Azhar Ali to level the five-match series 1-1 in Pallekele.

Opener Dilshan top-scored with an unbeaten 119 for his 13th one-day hundred, hitting one six and 11 fours in his brilliant 139-ball knock to help his team set a stiff target.

Azhar, playing only his sixth one-dayer, looked set to complete his maiden one-day hundred before he was bowled by paceman Nuwan Kulasekara.

He cracked 12 fours in his 119-ball knock.

Man-of-the-match Perera got his first wicket when he held a superb one-handed return catch to dismiss Mohammad Hafeez (14) before removing Younis Khan (four) and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (27) to reduce Pakistan to 3-127.

He took three more wickets to complete his third haul of five or more wickets in an innings.

The third one-dayer will be played in Colombo on Wednesday.