In just the first over of the innings Akram had Jayasuriya slashing outside the off, only to look in dismay as Abdul Razzaq could not get up in time to snap up a high catch at second slip.

But that was just the beginning.

In the first ball of the third over Akram landed the ball in the perfect spot just outside the off, got the ball to shift its line a touch off the seam, kiss the outside edge ever so softly and fly through for Rashid Latif to pouch. Akram charged through to the keeper in celebration only to realise that umpire Daryl Harper was not interested in the appeal.

If it was a mistake by the umpire it was a costly one. Jayasuriya, in typical fashion, crashed the very next ball to the cover point fence. And carried on in that merry vein even as two wickets fell in quick succession with the score on 44 and 45.

Marvan Atapattu (8) misjudging the speed and accuracy of Razzaq at mid on attempted to steal a single and was run out by an under-arm flick.

Just five balls later Kumar Sangakkara was undone by one from Akram that bent back into the left-hander and trapped him in front of the stumps.

Jayasuriya has seen wickets fall quickly at the other end many times in his career. Rarely has it made him change his approach; when the ball is there to be hit, he will hit it – as hard as possible. Timing the ball magnificently the Sri Lankan skipper easily negated not only the wiles of Akram but the pace of Shoaib Akhtar as well.

Bringing up a 56-ball half-century in the 17th over, Jayasuriya led from the front.

While the butcher of Matara (batting 58) was bludgeoning his way at one end, Aravinda de Silva was all touch and finesse at the other. Walking in to bat at on the back of a huge ovation from the crowd at the Premadasa Stadium, the veteran kept a cool head, rotated the strike with ease and reached 32 at the 25-over mark. Sri Lanka were 111/2 requiring a further 90 runs at 3.6 an over.

Anwar's innings provided backbone to a Pakistan innings that the coach would well like to relegate to the deepest recesses of the mind as a bad dream. Losing wickets with astonishing regularity the Pakistan team fell apart. Just when it looked like Latif would keep Anwar company long enough to take his team out of the woods, the stumper slog swept Murali and was caught well on the fence by Fernando. Latif's 22 helped add 33 for the 5th wicket – the second highest partnership of the innings.

Joined in the middle by Misbah ul -Haq, Anwar continued to keep things going till he brought up the 43rd half-century of his limited overs career. The 34-year-old hit five boundaries in his innings.

Misbah began well, clouting Chandana for a huge straight six in much the same way he dismissed Shane Warne at Kenya recently. The middle-order batsman, carrying his good form into the game mixed careful batting with some well executed hits to take the Pakistan score forward.

By the time Razzaq and Misbah attempted to push the score towards 200 they were fast running out of overs. Gunaratne, known for his ability to keep a cool head in the slog overs did his job to perfection. While sending down a steady stream of yorker length deliveries, he managed to change his pace judiciously. Razzaq (16), frustrated by the trickle of runs looked to heave Gunaratne but only managed to hit the ball straight up in the air. Running back from inside the circle de Silva covered good ground before settling under an awkward swirler.

Murali added to his burgeoning bag of ODI wickets when he clean bowled Wasim Akram with a drifter. Playing, or rather attempting to play, his first ball, Akram was bowled through the gate driving at one that came in with the arm. The little offie ended with 3/29 from his 10 overs.

Misbah, making the best of a bad day out in the middle batted cleverly for his 47 (70 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) before he was clean bowled in the last over of the innings. With the wicket of Misbah, Fernando scalped 3/30 from 9.4 overs. Pakistan were all out for an even 200, making Sri Lanka's task a less than difficult one.

Shahid Afridi (4) was the first to go, being caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara off the bowling of mediumpacer Pulasthi Gunaratne. At 12 for 1 Pakistan looked a bit shaky. Pressing on, the Sri Lankans reduced Pakistan to 17/3.

Shoaib Malik, offie turned top order batsman became a part of history when he missed one from Chaminda Vaas and was rapped on the pad. Umpire Daryl Harper, in the new powers vested in him by the ICC, referred the matter to third umpire Rudi Koertzen. After a delay that was a touch longer than the 20 seconds the ICC suggested such matters would take, the finger went up. Slow motion replays showed that the ball pitched in line with the stumps and that is all the third umpire can rule on. Whether the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps, being one of Vaas' benders, is still a matter of debate.

Shoaib Malik lbw b Vaas 1 (with assistance from Harper/Koertzen)

is an entry that will be remembered for a time to come.

Yousuf Youhana, returning to the side after being sent home from Morocco for disciplinary reasons, lasted just one ball. Anwar, tapping the ball just wide of point, stuttered down the wicket, encouraged Youhana on before sending him back. To top it off Youhana skidded in mid turn, lost his footing and could not regain his crease before a good throw from Muralitharan combined with Gunaratne to send the batsman back.

Anwar, probably feeling just a touch guilty for the role he played in Youhana's dismissal batted with responsibility, building his innings and resurrecting the Pakistan batting. The left hander, fluent as ever, angles the bat well when he drove, finding the gaps with regularity. Using his wrists well, Anwar tucked the ball around the corner well, finding singles when the runs dried up.

Despite being dropped by Upul Chandana at cover in Muralitharan's first over, Anwar soldiered manfully on, reaching 37 at the halfway stage. Younis Khan, not terribly elegant or fluent, but effective as ever kept Anwar good company till he chose the wrong Murali delivery to sweep. A straighter one down the leg side kissed the glove before rolling back onto the leg stump. Younis Khan made 35 in a partnership of 70 for the fourth wicket. Pakistan, after threatening to stage a recovery managed 94/4 in 25 overs. Rashid Latif, fresh at the crease had 6 to his name.

Oh yes, and don't forget the Prime Minister Ranil Wickramesinghe setting things rolling by doing the toss himself.

Although the wicket here at the R Premadasa Stadium looks like it's full of runs, records show that it's not always easy to chase anything in excess of four and half runs an over. Especially in day-night games like this one, the side batting first has a distinct advantage, with there being no moisture in the wicket early on. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take comfort from the fact that they are both better than average chasers.

The hosts are strengthened by the remarkable recovery of Sanath Jayasuriya. Much depends on the presence of the skipper, both for his audacious batting early on and for the calming influence he is on the field. Recovering from a dislocated shoulder, Jayasuriya will bowl only if desperately needed.

Pakistan make two changes to the side that played in Morocco recently, with Yousuf Youhana coming in for Imran Nazir and Misbah-ul-Haq replacing Inzamam-ul-Haq. Youhana, it must be remembered was sent back from Morocco for disciplinary reasons. This would mean that Shahid Afridi will open the innings – not a bad idea in conditions like these.

When Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis won the toss, it came as no surprise that he elected to bat first.

Whether we'll get the run feast that the fans inevitably demand, remains to be seen. However, with this pool being as it is, this match is a virtual knockout. If you assume that both these teams beat Holland, and the rain Gods don't play their tricks, then the winner of this match will go through to the next round.

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Chaminda Vaas, Pulasthi Gunaratne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando.

Pakistan: Saeed Anwar, Misbah-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq, +Rashid Latif, *Waqar Younis, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik.