The euphoria of winning the test series against Sri Lanka is now but a figment of the distant past for this Pakistan side, who appear to be suffering from an acute case of the end of term blues, after nearly four months on the road.

One week is a long time in cricket and Pakistan will dearly want to forget this one. It started badly when the manager, Mohammad Nasir, launched into an unprovoked xenophobic tirade at the pre-tournament press conference. It got worse when they lost their first two matches before building up to the disastrous crescendo tonight. Not only did they lose this match by six wickets, and by doing so virtually ensure their elimination from the tournament, but they became the first international team to have one of it’s players suspended for ball tampering.

The omens were not good even before they arrived at the ground. The stadium was already rich with gossip about Waqar Younis being reprimanded by the match referee, for tampering with the ball during yesterdays game versus South Africa.

Shortly after the start of play, this rumour was confirmed by a press release stating that Waqar Younis had been fined 50% of his match fee and suspended for one match, that Azhar Mahmood had been fined 30% of his match fee and that Moin Khan had been severely reprimanded for ‘allowing the spirit of the game to be impaired.’

The ‘ball tampering’ controversy may have rumbled on now for over 10 years but no player had previously been suspended by the ICC. The suspension may well be for just one game, but is of significant symbolic importance, and will surely encourage tougher action from match referees in the future.

As if this wasn’t enough, television pictures during todays encounter have now cast serious doubts on the legality of Shabbir Ahmed’s bowling action. Whatever remedial action he has undergone to correct the straightening of his arm at the moment of delivery, has clearly been insufficient.

The other issues aside, the most depressing aspect from the Pakistani perspective, has been their cricket in the last few days. Apparently restored to their mercurial best during the test series, their form has now plummeted, and they have been soundly defeated in their first three games.

It was a game they should have won after a late innings blitz from Azhar Mahmood, who scored 43 from just 30 deliveries and ensured his side an imposing final score of 240. On a wicket that was getting slower and lower by the over, and was extremely receptive to spin, such a target was imminently defendable.

Alas for Pakistan they were confronted by Sri Lanka’s newest opening partnership at it’s explosive best. Avishka Gunawardena (47) and Sanath Jayasuriya (54) are the kind of players you pay a premium to watch and they treated the crowd to a succession of breathtaking strokes.

In just the first over of the innings Jayasuriya opened the Sri Lankan innings with a rasping slash, that disappeared high over the head of point. After a quick single Avishka Gunawardena then opened his account with a thunderous square drive. The intent was clear: they wanted to score as many runs as possible when the ball was new and the outfield sparsely populated.

They continued in the same vein, scoring 96 off just 16 overs. They may have had their share of luck – Moin Khan dropped Jayasuriya when he had made just 13 and missed a stumping when on 33 – that surely is to be deserved for such daring.

When Gunawardena was eventually bowled by Razzaq in the 17th over Pakistan will have hoped that this game was going to follow a similar format to the last two games, both of which have been won by the side fielding last, and both of which have included large opening partnerships and dramatic collapses in the later stages.

Alas the script writers had started a new chapter, and Sri Lanka’s blazing start was followed not by the inevitable collapse, but by a composed run chase from a young and confident middle order.

Marvan Attapattu (25) who joined Sanath Jayasuriya just traded in singles and twos and put on 30 with his captain before Jayasuriya was caught behind off a bottom edge. Even when Attapattu was also caught behind, this time off Shabbir Ahmed’s very last delivery, Sri Lanka didn’t falter and were guided home in style by Mahela Jayawardene (49), Kumar Sangakkara (36* ) and Russel Arnold ( 13* ).

Earlier in the day Pakistan had won the toss and unsurprisingly opted to bat first. They started badly, losing two wickets for just 19 runs, but then recovered well, Inzamann-ul-Haq (47) and Younis Khan (59) adding 82 for the third wicket.

Just when the Sri Lankans looked to be losing their grip on the match their four spinners started to restrict the scoring, and if it wasn’t for the return of Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa at the death they would have been chasing 20-30 runs less. As it was Azhar Mahmood led a late innings charge. Taking 15 runs of the penultimate over and 13 off the final one.

© CricInfo