Maqsood, Alam script thrilling win for Pakistan
Sohaib Maqsood and Fawad Alam slammed match winning knocks to script Pakistan’s thrilling four wicket win with one ball to spare against Sri Lanka in the first ODI encounter at the Sooriyawewa International Stadium yesterday, helping them to go one up in the three match series.
Sohaib Maqsood and Shahid Afridi celebrating the victory - Pic by Amila Gamage
The pair came together when the Pakistanis were in dire straits and was reeling on 106 for 5 in the 23rd over and added a valuable 147 runs for sixth wicket which turned the tide in favour of Pakistan.
Maqsood slammed an unbeaten 89 in only 73 balls which included nine boundaries and Alam hit an almost run a ball 62 with seven boundaries. With Pakistan needing a further 90 runs in the last ten overs the pair slowly but surely began accumulating the runs and steered them to get close to the target.
When the pair was separated Pakistan was on 253 for 6 in the 42nd over. An expensive 10-run over by Nuwan Kulasekera followed by eight runs off Lasith Malinga made things almost easy for Pakistan.
Pakistan chasing a revised target of 274 runs, got off to a sedate start with openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez adding 39 runs before Mathews broke the stand. The dismissal of Younis Khan who made only three, eight runs later proved to be a big blow for Pakistan.
A brief stand of 32 runs for the third between Shehzad and Umar Akmal came to an end with Pakistan on 79 for 3 in the 16th over. Two quick wickets for the addition of 27 runs that of Shehzad and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq only brought more woes for Pakistan as they slid to 106 for 5 in the 23rd over.
This was despite skipper Angelo Mathews and Mahela Jayawardena’s fighting knocks which ultimately proved to be in vain. The match got off to a delayed 15-minute start and was further hampered by a shower after Sri Lanka had faced six overs.
This delayed the match further for just under one hour and on resumption it was reduced to a 45 over match. Sri Lanka’s bating was propelled in the last ten overs which yielded them 105 runs with 60 of those coming in the last five overs as Mathews and Jayawardena made merry and sent the Pakistan bowlers on a leather hunt.
Mathews slammed an 85-ball knock of 89 which was his highest ODI score. The knock comprised nine boundaries and two sixes while Jayawardena cracked 65 in 66 balls. Jayawardena’s 73rd ODI half ton included eight boundaries.
The pair came to the rescue of Sri Lanka after being sent into bat by Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq. They were badly placed at 75 for 4 in the 18th over but the pair batted sensibly to add 116 runs for the fifth wicket.
Pakistan skipper’s gamble of sending the host to bat first paid off as the left arm pace combination of Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz ripped through with two apiece in the first 18 overs.
But they failed to maintain the run rate which saw them lose their initiative as Mathews and Jayawardena took things under their control. The other Pakistan left arm pacie Junaid Khan conceded more than eights an over from his nine to end up with dismal figures of 0 for 75.
The late order batting of Sri Lanka too made their contributions, further frustrating the Pakistan bowlers with Ashan Priyanjan making a breezy 17-ball unbeaten 39 inclusive of eight boundaries. Priyanjan pounded 17 runs in the last over bowled by Junaid Khan.
Useful partnerships in the last eight overs for the sixth, seventh and eighth wickets saw Sri Lanka ending up with a challenging score of 275 for 7.
Pakistan in their run chase got off to a sedate start with openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez adding 39 runs before Mathews broke the stand. The dismissal of Younis Khan who made only three, eight runs later proved to be a big blow for Pakistan. A brief stand of 32 runs for the third between Shehzad and Umar Akmal came to an end with Pakistan on 79 for 3 in the 16th over. But two quick wickets for the addition of 27 runs that of Shehzad and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq only brought more woes for Pakistan as they slid to 106 for 5 in the 23rd over.
But Maqsood and Alam turned out to be Pakistan’s two heroes as the cautious duo steered the side to ensure them the trilling victory.
| Second ODI also at Hambantota Owing to the fickle conditions prevailing in the Western Province, the second ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which was scheduled to be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium will stay on at the present venue – the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium. Scoreboard SRI LANKA innings (45 overs maximum) PAKISTAN innings (target: 275 runs from 45 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Mohammad Hafeez, 8.2 ov), 2-47 (Younis Khan, 10.6 ov), 3-79 (Umar Akmal, 15.3 ov), 4-94 (Ahmed Shehzad, 19.2 ov), 5-106 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 22.3 ov), 6-253 (Fawad Alam, 41.6 ov) Bowling: Lasith Malinga 9-0-60-1 (2w) , Nuwan Kulasekera 8.5-0-56-0, Angelo Mathews 9-0-48-2 (1w), Thisara Perera 7-0-43-2, Rangana Herath 9-0-49-1, Tilekeratne Dilshan 2-0-17-0 |