Pakistan in 132-run win over Sri Lanka

Chris Dhambarage

Pakistan may have conceded the series in Dambulla but they were able to redeem some of their lost prestige by winning the fifth and final one day international by 132 runs against Sri Lanka under lights at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday.

In almost a repeat of Friday's performance Pakistan produced a sterling batting display to pile up a formidable 279 for 8 from their 50 overs having elected to bat first and then bowled out the home side for 147 runs in 34.2 overs.

The Lankans simply threw the game away with a pathetic batting performance as they lost wickets at regular intervals. The openers went early but skipper Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena showed promise with a positive approach.

However once the pair were separated within the space of four runs the innings completely lost momentum with the Pakistan opening bowlers Mohammed Aamer and Naved Ul Hasan causing havoc with the Sri Lankan middle order.

In fact at one stage Sri Lanka lost four wickets for the addition of just 15 runs and were in danger of being bowled out for under one hundred runs. However the ninth wicket pair of Thilina Kandamby and Malinga Bandara avoided further humiliation by adding 71 runs from 63 deliveries.

Kandamby eventually ran out of partners as he remained unbeaten on 42 which was studded with three boundaries while Bandara made a useful 31 batting at number ten.

Earlier the Pakistan innings was built around two contrasting half centuries from skipper Younis Khan and middle order batsman Misbah Ul Haq who added the finishing touches with an unbeaten knock of 73 with five boundaries.

The platform for this total was laid by skipper Younis Khan who batted rather cautiously to hit a top score of 76 from 100 deliveries inclusive of five boundaries. The rest of the batting responded well with all rounder Rana Naved Ul Hassan contributing 33 from 29 balls with the help of two sixes and one boundary.

Pakistan of course made a disastrous start to their innings while losing Kamran Akmal in the very first delivery through some help from umpire Gamini Silva who ruled out the batsman leg before wicket off a thick inside edge.

However the visitors managed to recover almost immediately with Imran Nazir playing in his second match since his comeback from the Indian Cricket League, stroking three successive boundaries off Dhammika Prasad's first over.

In fact Prasad's first three overs cost him 30 runs with Imran Nazir and skipper Younis Khan putting on 45 runs for the second wicket in 7.5 overs. However Sangakkara's gamble in introducing Ajantha Mendis during the power play brought the desired results for the home side.

The mystery spinner struck in his very first over and finished his opening spell while conceding only ten runs from four overs.

But Pakistan successfully rebuilt their innings through a third wicket stand of 68 runs between Younis Khan and Mohammed Yosuf.

The pair collected their runs without taking any undue risk while relying on the singles and the twos as they reached 123 for 3 at the half way stage of the innings.

Sri Lanka who have already clinched the series made three changes including Sanath Jayasuriya, Dammika Prasad and Nuwan Kulasekara in place of Thilan Samaraweera, Thilan Thushara and Lasith Malinga.

PAKISTAN

Kamran Akmal lbw b Kulasekara			 0
Imran Nazir lbw b Mendis			35
Younus Khanb Prasad 				76
Mohammad Yousuf c Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 	43
Misbah-ul Haq not out				73
Umar Akmal c Tharanga b Mathews			 6
Shahid Afridi  c Sangakkara b Kulasekara	 5
Rana Naved c Tharanga b Kulasekara		33
Rao Iftikhar run out				 0

Extras:(b1, nb3, w4)				 8
Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 			279
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Kamran Akmal), 2-45 (Imran Nazir), 3-113 (Mohammad Yousuf),
 	4-196 (Younus), 5-208 (Umar Akmal), 6-214 (Afridi), 7-274 (Naved), 8-279 (Iftikhar).
Bowling: Kulasekera 10-1-46-3, Prasad 9-0-61-1 (w1, nb2), Mendis 10-0-45-1 (w1), Mathews 6-0-30-1 (nb1),
 	Bandara 6-0-39-0 (w1), Jayasuriya 9-0-57-1 (w1)

SRI LANKA

U. Tharanga c Umar Akmal b Aamer		 0
S. Jayasuriya c Misbah b Naved			 6
M. Jayawardene c Kamran Akmal b Aamer		31
K. Sangakkara c Afridi b Naved 			16
C. Kapugedera  c Misbah b Aamer 		 1
T. Kandamby not out				42
A. Mathews c Kamran Akmal b Aamer 		 5
N. Kulasekara c Misbah b Naved		 	 0
D. Prasad b Naved 				 1
M. Bandara st Kamran Akmal b Afridi		31
A. Mendis c Misbah b Afridi			 0
Extras: (lb2, w9, nb3)				14
Total(all out, 34.2 overs)			147
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Tharanga), 2-19 (Jayasuriya), 3-54 (Sangakkara), 4-58 (Jayawardene),
 		5-59 (Kapugedera), 6-69 (Mathews), 7-70 (Kulasekara), 8-74 (Prasad), 9-145 (Bandara), 10-147 (Mendis).
Bowling: Aamer 9-1-28-4 (w2), Naved 8-0-44-4 (nb3, w1), Iftikhar 7-1-28-0, Ajmal 7-0-29-0 (w6), Afridi 3.2-0-16-2.