Sri lanka Won Pakistan with 250 lead
15 overs Pakistan 53 for 6 (Gul 24*, Malik 8*) need a further 257 runs to beat Sri Lanka 309 for 5 (Dilshan 137*, Sangakkara 50, Jayasuriya 45)
Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 137 off 139 balls
Sri Lanka’s struggles in recent months against weak sides seemed a distant memory as they had Pakistan tottering at 22 for 6 after posting a total of 309 for 5. Thilan Thushara and Nuwan Kulasekara swung and seamed the ball under lights and cut through the top-order, picking up six Pakistan wickets in the first ten overs.
The conditions were predicted to favour the fast bowlers at the start of play but it got deadlier when Sri Lanka began bowling under lights. Thushara struck in the second over, trapping make-shift opener Younis Khan lbw before Kulasekara found Salman Butt’s edge to hand him a first-ball duck. Sri Lanka had got rid of Pakistan’s centurion in the first ODI and the players were ecstatic.
It got worse for Pakistan when Kamran Akmal was caught in front by a Thushara delivery which cut in, skidded, and hit him low on the pads. The inspired bowling was backed up by superb fielding: Farveez Maharoof pulled off a blinder at short wicket, intercepting a full-blooded pull from Khurram Manzoor.
Even Misbah-ul-Haq had no answers to a delivery from Thushara and he edged to the wicketkeeper. Shahid Afridi walked out to loud cheers from the crowd but, four balls later, he shouldered arms to a delivery that jagged back and had his off-stump flattened. Sections of the crowd that had cheered moments before began to leave.
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