Pakistan pipped Sri Lanka at the finish in a tensely fought first match of the Pepsi Cup at Jamshedpur. Sri Lanka, after being in a strong position at 217/4 needing 30 runs in 4.1 overs, collapsed to be all out for 237, seven runs short. Wasim Akram was once again amongst the wickets as Sri Lanka commited harakiri. Wasim Akram was once again the destroyer.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. The openers Anwar and Afridi vindicated Akram's decision as they tore into the Sri Lankan bowling attack, making it look completely harmless. They scored at more than 7 runs an over with Anwar outscoring Afridi, both in the number of runs and the rate at which he made them. Both looked set to play long innings when Anwar was brilliantly caught and bowled by Chandana with the score at 148 in the 20th over. That started a major collapse as Afridi went soon thereafter slogging Wickramasinghe straight to Vaas at long off. Inzamam didnt last too long either, nicking Wickramasinghe to DeSilva at slip. Wickramasinghe wasnt done with yet. He'd bowled an uninspiring first spell of 4 overs for 34 runs. His next 6 overs got him 4 wickets, giving away 14 runs. Ijaz went next, caught behind off Wickramasinghe again. Moin was out lbw first ball and Pakistan were staring a total less than 200.

Azhar Mahmood didnt help Pakistan's cause any further as his ill judgement resulted in Youhana's run out. Azhar Mahmood then had a mini face-saving partnership of 31 runs with skipper Akram. Hope turned to dismay as Wasim was run out, once again Azhar being the culprit. Mahmood however was possibly the only batsman who Pakistan could have relied upon to get them to safety. Saqlain took 10 deliveries to get off the mark. Runs were hard to come by as the Sri Lankan bowlers and fielders improved by leaps and bounds sensing a comeback. Only 53 runs came in the 21 overs from the 20th to the 41st, 8 wickets going in the process.

There was only one way Azhar Mahmood was going to get out, run out, and he obliged Sri Lanka. But he'd done a lot in stabilizing the innings after the quick wickets. Saqlain never looked like he was going to force the pace. Arshad Khan came in, was completely baffled by the first ball he received and them smote the next one over midwicket for six. He and Saqlain put on 36 runs in 6 overs. He was out hitting a fulltoss straight down Kalpage's throat at deep midwicket. Pakistan ultimately ended up with 246/9 in 50 overs. It was a great comeback from Sri Lanka after Pakistan were 148/0 in the 20th over.

Sri Lanka started their innings confidently. Atapattu was then hit on the fingers by a nasty lifter from Akhtar, a ball after he'd flicked him for a boundary. Atapattu retired hurt in the 8th over with the score on 44. Jayawardene joined Gunawardene but Gunawardene went soon, well caught by Akram at mid on off Azhar Mahmood. Aravinda DeSilva and Mahela Jayawardene had a good long partnership of a 104 runs in 22 overs which created a platform for an assault on the target.

Jayawardene went in the 35th over, tamely driving Shoaib Akhtar to Wasim Akram at cover. Ranatunga got out soon, once again caught by Wasim, off Afridi this time. Tillekaratne and Aravinda DeSilva steadied the innings with a 50 run partnership in 11 overs. Tillekaratne played briskly and wasnt averse to going over the top of midwicket with some slog-like hits. Aravinda was content at merely nudging the ball around for singles and twos. Then tragedy. Tillekaratne turned the ball towards leg.

Aravinda took off at the nonstriker's end for a non existent single. Moin's return to Arshad, the bowler was too quick for DeSilva and Pakistan got the wicket they were looking for.

Chandana slogged the first ball he received to deep extra cover where Youhana fumbled with a fairly easy catch and took it at last, a poor shot considering Sri Lanka needed someone to stay with Tillekaratne and guide the Lankans to victory. Kalpage was yorked by Akram in his second spell. The Azhar Mahmood syndrome continued as Hathurasingha was out run out to a non existent single.

Akhtar yorked Tillekaratne down legside, Moin appealed for a catch, Chandika was halfway down the track and Moin had little trouble in relaying the ball back to the bowler. After that Akhtar and Akram made sure there were no more heroics from the rest of the batsmen. Akhtar bowled Vaas first ball Atapattu came back at #10 to give Tillekaratne some support. He managed a couple of runs more, as Akram's low fulltoss crashed into his offstump. Wasim Akram finished off things the next ball with another trademark inswinging yorker. Yet again Sri Lanka lost a match they should have won. Yet again Pakistan won a match they had almost lost.

Pakistan lead the points table now with two points. India and Sri Lanka play each other in the next match on March 22nd at Nagpur. The game starts at 8.50am local time (0320 GMT).