2nd Match: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 27 Oct 2001 CricInfo Live Report

2nd Match: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 27 Oct 2001
Suhael Ahmed

Pakistan innings: 15 Overs, End of Innings,
Sri Lanka innings: 15 Overs, End of match,

GUNAWARDENE HELPS PILE ON THE AGONY

Gunawardene gained in confidence with some fine boundaries, cutting short balls outside off and had charged to 61off 75 balls after 21 overs with 10 fours struck mostly off a wayward Abdur Razzaq. His partner Atapattu happily played second fiddle and helped the score along.

Waqar came on and was unlucky when Gunawardene mistimed one in the 24th over and Saeed Anwar at mid off let it go down. The scoring continued steadily and after 27 overs Sri Lanka were comfortably placed at 120 for 1 with Atapattu 21and Gunawardene batting on 72.

Abdur Razzaq finally struck in his second spell and made Atapattu play early, turning to leg to be caught at short mid wicket by Taufeeq Umar for 21 runs off 38 balls. Sri Lanka were happily on the way to victory with 133 for 2 after 30 overs.

There was no real rush and after some earlier spirited fielding, the Pakistani shoulders began to droop as the runs for Sri Lanka kept on coming. Shoaib Malik was reasonably economical, getting some turn but no where near the turn Muralitharan extracted from this pitch. In the 32nd over Razzaq was dispatched one bounce over the long off rope by Gunawardene and the score was 142 for 2.

The last rites were played out to the incessant rhythmic drumming by the Lankan fans. Afridi too had a bowl and was brought in for the 34th over for his fast leg breaks beating the bat at times. Another one bounce off drive by Jayawardene off Shoaib Malik got Sri Lanka to 151 for 2 after 35 overs with only 26 more needed. In the next over Afridi was driven along the ground to extra cover and any young player would have done well seeing the perfect footwork and follow though. Seven runs came off the 36th over.

Shoaib Akhtar was invited back for the 37th over to be promptly pulled for 4, though mistimed behind the bowler by Gunawardene. On the second ball Shoaib picked up his second wicket, Gunawardene driving a full ball to Shoaib Malik at point and in walked Arnold to safely navigate the rest of the over to 163 for 3. Afridi carried on and there was another lofted four over the mid on rope followed by a cut to third man as Sri Lanka coasted to 173 and only 4 more needed.

Arnold did the needful off Shoaib Akhtar’s next over and after 38.1 overs Sri Lanka were clear winners by 7 wickets, showing they are one of the top ODI teams in the world. The only excuse Pakistan fans may have is that the team may have been rusty as they had not played much international cricket since early summer. The Man of the Match was Gunawardene. Pakistan face Zimbabwe tomorrow, Sunday 28th October and this should be good contest.

SRI LANKA OPENERS SAFELY SEE THROUGH PAKISTAN ONSLAUGHT

Having to defend a low 176 run total the Pakistan pacers came out for a full attack after the break. Wasim had both the Sri Lankan openers play and miss several times with lots of close shaves. Gunawardene was rather uncertain but survived the opening overs.

Jayasuriya led from the front but even he had a few close shaves and survived a dropped catch off Waqar when he drove and mistimed it to Shoaib at mid on in the 6th over. Later, a semi-chance went to Rashid Latif when Gunawardene edged one but it fell a little short.

The openers kept on adding steady runs and Shoaib Akhtar replaced Waqar and reached 150.7kph in his 5th ball. Shoaib seems to have changed his run up, coming in slowly and then putting all his effort at the end. Razzaq replaced Wasim after he had bowled 6 overs and had given away only 7 runs, a magnificent spell of fast bowling against the likes of Jayasuriya.

The first break for Pakistan came in the 14th over when Shoaib had Jayasuriya caught driving uppishly to Afridi at cover. Atapattu came n and at the end of 15 overs Sri Lanka had made a steady 51 for 1. They are in full command of the match and unless some more quick wickets fall its going to be Sri Lanka’s game.

PAKISTAN BUNDLED OUT FOR A LOW 176 IN 46.2 OVERS

Rashid Latif perished early in the 18th over cutting at a Nissanka ball outside off for an easy catch at point and Muralitharan made no mistake. Abdur Razzaq and Youhana batted well to put up the best partnership of the innings of 50 runs until Youhana hit a flat sweep to be picked off close to the square leg rope by Vaas early in the 31st over after a solid 47. Pakistan was further in the dumps at 117 for 6.

In came Wasim Akram but soon fell, flicking the ball to leg to be caught by Jayawardene diving forward off Jayasuriya and Pakistan had lost their 7th wicket for a paltry 128 after 33 overs. Further misfortune came their way with Razzaq succumbing to the relentless pressure of Muralitharan trying a cut to be caught behind for a useful 27 setting Pakistan back to 141 for 8 and the tail in.

Excellent and attacking bowling by Fernando, Jayasuriya and Nissanka paid dividends to yet again expose the frailty of Pakistan’s batting. Sri Lanka fielded like demons, chasing everything down and chase combinations where the first man flicked the ball back to his partner from close to the rope on many an occasion.

Waqar Younis and Shoaib Malik knocked the ball around for some tailend resistance to see off Muralitharan with his usual excellent analysis of 10-0-20-1 and Pakistan was 168 for 8 after 45 overs and the slog time was ahead. However, with only 2 wickets to go it was unlikely that Pakistan would get very far and in the 46th over the Sri Lankan captain struck his counterpart’s stumps with an armball yorker for his third scalp. Shoaib Akhtar missed the next ball, another yorker somehow and it ran for 4 valuable byes to get Pakistan upto 174 for 9.

Vaas was invited in to mop up the last wicket but a poor call and slow running by Shoaib Akhtar resulted in a run out and it was all over for Pakistan, 176 all out in 46.2 overs setting Sri Lanka a 177 run target under the lights. Full marks to Sri Lanka for fine bowling and equally fine fielding today.

SRI LANKA STRIKE BODY BLOWS ON PAKISTAN

In front of a good Saturday crowd at Sharjah, Waqar Younis won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bowl. Sri Lanka made two changes from yesterdays game against Zimbabwe, Nissanka coming in for Buddika Fernando and Sangakkara for Dharmasena. Pakistan brought in Taufeeq Umar for his ODI debut, as Inzamam has to sit out two games after his 2-match suspension for showing dissent in England earlier in the summer.

Taufeeq faced the Sri Lankan bowlers with confidence and hit a few exciting shots but played on in the 6th over, going for a cut outside for 10 off Dilhara Fernando and Pakistan were 1 down for 28. In walked a new-look Saeed Anwar to partner the ever aggressive Shahid Afridi but scooped up a Dilhara delivery in the 8th over, trying to turn it to leg, a leading edge for an excellent ‘reflex’ catch by the bowler. After 8 overs Pakistan were in trouble at 38 for 2.

Youhana came in but more woe came Pakistan’s way when Afridi was out softly, popping a Dilhara delivery into the safe hands of Nissanka at mid on and Pakistan 3 down for 49 after 10 overs.

Youhana and Younis Khan batted sensibly adding runs and when the Nissanka the debutante was brought on for the 12th over, he was greeted by a fine Youhana off-drive that raced to the long off rope to help reach 59 for 3. But in the 14th over, Younis Khan suffered a rush of blood, going for a pull off the wrong ball outside off, mistiming it to Muralitharan at point to Nissanka’s delight. Certainly a poor beginning with little chance of putting up a reasonable total with Muralitharan yet to have a bowl!

Dilhara Fernando was the key for Sri Lanka in the first 15 over session helping himself to 3 wickets for 33 with some good fast and aggressive bowling. After 15 overs Pakistan were struggling at 62 for 4 with Youhana and Rashid Latif batting and Muralitharan called in early for a go.