DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka cruised to  a 2-0 series lead with a comfortable six-wicket victory against  Pakistan in the second one-day international yesterday.

Left arm pace bowler Thilan Thushara claimed three wickets  as Sri Lanka bowled out Pakistan for a below-par 168 in 47  overs.

Sri Lanka made a shaky start, collapsing to 44 for three  after the loss of Upul Tharanga (10), Sanath Jayasuriya (30) and  Kumar Sangakkara (two), but eventually won with 6.2 overs to  spare.

The hosts were guided home by middle order batsman Chamara  Kapugedera, who top-scored with a stylish 67 not out from 97  balls with eight fours and one six.

Thilan Samaraweera gave him solid support with 38 from 69  balls.

The duo added 95 runs in an unbroken fifth wicket  partnership to guide Sri Lanka out of danger and towards an easy  win in the five-match series.

Sri Lanka fully capitalised on winning the toss with all  their bowlers troubling Pakistan’s batsmen on a pitch offering  lateral movement.

Thushara followed a three-wicket haul in the first ODI with  three for 33 from nine overs, claiming the wickets of Kamran  Akmal (13), Shoaib Malik (nought) and Fawad Alam (10).

Off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan also excelled with two for  41 from his allotted 10 overs.

Captain Younus Khan was the only top order batsman to offer  substantial resistance with a painstaking 23, an innings that  consumed 73 deliveries and spanned 113 minutes.

Tail-ender Mohammad Aamer was the innings top-scorer with an  unbeaten 24.

Pakistan position would have been even more woeful were it  not for a 38-run stand for the eighth wicket between Abdul  Razzaq (17) and Umar Gul (14) and a 40-run stand for the  last-wicket between Aamer and Saeed Ajmal (16).