Sri Lanka bowl over Pakistan

TANGIERS-Chasing a modest Sri Lanka total of 242, Pakistan got off to a disastrous start and never recovered. With Shahid Afridi smiting Chaminda Vaas and Pulasthi Gunaratne for three sixes, they avoided the ignominy of giving the Lankans a bonus point. But with a bunny like Mohammad Sami at the other end, with only 39 needed off 38 balls, Afridi could only have hit out. That he did, but it didn't come off.

With this 39-run win, their second on the trot, the Lankans were now sitting pretty at the top, with Sanath Jayasuriya winning his second successive Man of the Match award, in this instance for a stroke-filled 97.

At the same time, Pakistan has been consigned to the bottom at the points table. They must beat South Africa on Sunday and then wait for the result of the last game of this double between Sri Lanka and South Africa to see where they stand.

Though there was uneven bounce in the wicket, the target was not awesome. If anything Yousuf Youhana proved with a masterly knock of 80 (91 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) under immense pressure, that it was possible to first graft and then play one's strokes. It indeed method and organisation of the upper order which was lacking and that spelt doom for Pakistan. They didn't get a good start and, with the exception of Youhana and Razzaq (70 runs for the fifth wicket stand off 84 balls), never got the partnerships going.

The openers, Saeed Anwar and Imran Nazir were gone with just 18 on the board. Pulsathi Gunaratne accounted for both, but not without some help from the batsmen. Anwar clipped uppishly to Jayawardene at short square-leg and Nazir, after hitting two glorious fours to cover and long-on, playing a cross-batted stroke towards the on, missed the line and was clean-bowled.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Inzamam-ul-Haq pulled Vaas and Jayawardene picked up a low catch to see the entire team running towards him at deep square-leg to celebrate. Further catastrophe was in store for Pakistan, as Younis Khan, the in-form batsman capable of tearing any attack apart, got out off a leading edge off Upal Chandana to make it 57 for four.

Youhana hung in there, fighting it out with Abdul Razzaq (25, off 48 balls, 3 fours). Youhana allowed himself to settle down, as he almost always does, before unleashing an array of dazzling strokes all round the park. Jayasuriya came on for just one over, and was clouted by Youhana for 15 runs: a six over long-on, then fours over at square-leg and long-on to post Pakistan's 100, and his individual 50 simultaneously.

But the Lankans wrested control as Razzaq playing too far back was trapped leg before by Muralitharan and Youhana got the bottom edge on a drive, with Sangakkara doing the rest.

Akram (19, 24 balls) and Rashid (3) couldn't make the needed contribution. And Shahid Afridi was sent too late at No 9. He still tried, but it was a case of too little, too late.

Lankans lose momentum:
At two points in the match Sri Lanka was going strong. At both, it lost a wicket through a needless run out. These breakthroughs resulted in more wickets in quick order, and loss of momentum. And that was why despite a highly entertaining knock of 97 off just 94 deliveries by Sanath Jayasuriya, the Lankans were bowled out for 242, the lowest total batting first in this tournament so far.

First it was Sanath Jayasuriya (97, off 94 deliveries, 12 fours, 1 six) and Marwan Atapattu (16, off 22 balls, 3 fours) who got the innings going. But the latter's run out ignited a mini-collapse, changing the complexion of the game.

Younis, after a wayward three overs, found his rhythm and gave himself an extended first spell. His inswinger got Kumar Sangakkara bowled through a wide-open gate. And next over Aravinda de Silva perished trying to guide him to fine leg, as Rashid Latif pouched the inside edge, after the square-leg umpire nodded in affirmative that the ball had been taken cleanly.

From a strong position of nought for 42, to 53 for three Sri Lankan innings had really been put off the rails.

And then Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene, who had put the Pakistan attack to the sword in a stand of 111 off a mere 117 deliveries to not just rehabilitate the Lankan innings, but also giving it the impetus that promised a score far larger than they eventually got. Here Jayawardene was run out, a brilliant piece of work by Rashid Latif in the field, running to short square leg to pick up the ball and breaking the stumps. The innings once again came unstuck as Jayasuriya too followed him soon after, just three runs short of what would have been his 13th one-day hundred.

Grabbing this window of opportunity, Waqar brought back Wasim Akram, and he delivered first ball, trapping the Lankan skipper plumb in front. A superlative innings of controlled aggression came to a close.

The Lankans never recovered from this twin blow within the space of 11 balls. Razzaq, Sami, Waqar and again Akram got amongst the wickets. There was not a single innings of substance, though Arnold (34, 51 balls, 3 fours) struck two boundaries but Waqar got him caught and bowled for his third wicket on the last delivery of the penultimate over. Akram got Muralitharan with a delivery to spare to get the Lankans bowled out.