Pakistan defeat Lanka for 11 runs
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Colombo: Sri Lanka ran out hitters chasing 278 runs target set by Pakistan here at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Shahid Afridi again donned the dress of the demolition man after openers gave the Lankans a slow but steady start in front of a sell-out crowd of 35,000. Sri Lanka made 266 for nine in 50 overs after Chamara Silva top scored with 57.
Afridi struck again, just like in the match against Kenya where he misfired with the bat but turned the game with the ball, to put Pakistan back in the game after the Lankan openers’, Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan, opening stand of 76.
Afridi took four pricey Lions wickets for 34 runs in ten overs and the performance won him Man of the Match award. He scalped Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews to take the match away from the Lankans.
Shoaib Akhtar took two wickets, including the dangerman Mahela Jayawardene, and remained economical. From the lot only Abdul Razzaq was the only one who went back to the pavilion with out a wicket. Umar Gul and Abdur Rehman took lot of beating from the Lankan batsmen but also got one satisfactory wicket each.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Pakistan scored 277 for seven to set up a mouthwatering run chase for Sri Lanka.
Pakistan, seeking to keep intact their record of never having lost a World Cup match against Sri Lanka, made a bright start and were indebted to an unbeaten 83 from Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and 72 from Younis Khan.
The Sri Lankan opening bowlers were expensive but the spin attack helped rein in Pakistan, with Rangana Herath taking 2 for 46 and Muttiah Muralitharan 1 for 35 off his 10 overs.
Younis said the team were looking for 10-15 extra runs from the final powerplay, adding: "But sometimes you know the plan does not work."
When asked whether they had enough runs on the board, he said: "Yes, I think so. 270-plus is a good score. If we bowl well and especially field well I think we will win the match."
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