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Like scores of times in the past Pakistan find themselves locked in the bull's horns after failing to get 240 runs at 4.80 an over (almost the same target they had failed to get in the last encounter against the same opposition) , mainly due to unplanned, uninspired and at times irresponsible batting.

The result apart, Friday's match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was the best in the Sharjah Cup so far. It was one of those the crowd loves and an almost full house enjoyed every minute of the game.

Not Waqar Younis and the Pakistan team management, Saturday being a rest day, they were all huddled up in the hotel room trying to find out what went wrong and chalk out a better strategy for the last round match against New Zealand Monday.

The result notwithstanding a couple of Pakistanis reached notable milestones. Wasim Akram claimed his 450th One-day International wicket and Yousuf Youhana crossed the 3000-run mark.

Looking at the match in retrospect, one is at loss to understand the batting strategy adopted by the Pakistanis. In present style of run chase 4.80 is not a very high target. Even if they had lost Shahid Afridi in the second over, it should not have forced Youhana, Inzamam-ul-Haq and down the order Rashid Latif to go into their shells.

Inzamam took 62 balls to get to 37, Youhana was slightly better, scoring 45 from 55 balls. But Rashid, promoted in the batting order because he is considered being capable of taking off right away, completely messed up all chances of Pakistan snatching the win.

When Muttiah Muralitharan was called to bowl the last two overs of his spell Rashid was simply out of wits. Whatever hopes of a Pakistan victory were still there in some minds, were dashed by Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa who in the last two overs of the innings restricted Wasim Akram and Rashid to score just eight runs.

As if to add salt to the injury - the ICC match referee Gundappa Viswanath of India imposed a 20 percent fine on the Pakistan team for slow over rate. In all they bowled four overs beyond time and were fined at five per cent for each over.

© Dawn