It's been talked multiple times that Pakistan are a team that can beat any opposition on their day but sadly, their day isn't everyday. Today, although, was Pakistan's day as they came back to restrict Sri Lankans below two hundred mark and then reached their target inside 40 overs after poor beginning to seal a bonus point which booked them a seal for final in this Asia cup 2012..
Electing to bat first, changing the pattern from last few matches when Lankans had intended to chase targets, islanders went off to rocket start once again with Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan collecting boundaries at will but Aizaz Cheema, having conceded plenty in this first two overs, make the break-through and then spinners took over. Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga added valuable 96 runs for 5th wicket but as soon as that partnership was broken, Lankans went down pretty quickly with Aizaz Cheema doing most of the damage.
Pakistani chase started off cautiously, negotiating the new ball smartly but also keeping Lankans in hunt of a dramatic finish. Three wickets for just 4 runs, Pakistan were in danger but captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal stood upto the challenge and added 152 runs to seal the match. Both right handers accelerated admirably towards the end to fetch a bonus point and go top of the table too.
Aizaz Cheema was named man of the match.
| Sri Lanka innings (elected to bat) |
| Batsman |
|
R |
B |
4s |
6s |
| Mahela Jayawardene |
c Hafeez b Cheema |
12 |
15 |
1 |
0 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan |
c Ajmal b Cheema |
20 |
20 |
4 |
0 |
| Kumar Sangakkara |
b Cheema |
71 |
92 |
4 |
1 |
| Dinesh Chandimal |
c Younus b Gul |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| Lahiru Thirimanne |
c Akmal b Azam |
7 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
| Upul Tharanga |
c Ajmal |
57 |
74 |
4 |
0 |
| Farveez Maharoof |
c Misbah b Ajmal |
2 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
| Nuwan Kulasekara |
c Ahmed b Gul |
4 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
| Seekkuge Prasanna |
not out |
5 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
| Lasith Malinga |
b Cheema |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
| Suranga Lakmal |
c Jamshed b Ajmal |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Extra : |
9 (lbyes=5, wides=4) |
| Total : |
188 runs in
45.4 overs for
10 wicket. RR = (
4.11 ).
|
| Fall of wickets : 1-33 (Jayawardene, 5.1 ov), 2-43 (Dilshan, 7.1 ov), 3-47 (Chandimal, 8.4 ov), 4-65 (Thirimanne, 14.3 ov), 5-161 (Tharanga, 35.3 ov), 6-165 (Maharoof, 37.1 ov), 7-172 (Kulasekara, 40.3 ov), 8-182 (Sangakkara, 42.1 ov), 9-187 (Malinga, 44.4 ov), 10-188 (Lakmal, 45.4 ov) |
| Bowler |
Overs |
Maiden |
Runs |
W |
Extra |
| Umar Gul |
8 |
1 |
20 |
2 |
2 wides |
| Aizaz Cheema |
9 |
0 |
43 |
4 |
2 wides |
| Mohammad Hafeez |
10 |
0 |
40 |
0 |
|
| Hammad Azam |
4 |
0 |
21 |
1 |
|
| Saeed Ajmal |
8.4 |
1 |
27 |
3 |
|
| Shahid Afridi |
6 |
0 |
32 |
0 |
|
| Pakistan innings (target = 189 from 50 overs) |
| Batsman |
|
R |
B |
4s |
6s |
| Mohammad Hafeez |
c Chandimal b Prasanna |
11 |
35 |
1 |
0 |
| Nasir Jamshed |
c Tharanga b Lakmal |
18 |
25 |
3 |
0 |
| Younus Khan |
c Maharoof b Lakmal |
2 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
| Misbah-ul-Haq |
not out |
72 |
93 |
9 |
1 |
| Umar Akmal |
c Tharanga b Maharoof |
77 |
72 |
7 |
2 |
| Hammad Azam |
not out |
4 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
| Shahid Afridi |
|
|
|
|
|
| Sarfraz Ahmed |
|
|
|
|
|
| Umar Gul |
|
|
|
|
|
| Saeed Ajmal |
|
|
|
|
|
| Aizaz Cheema |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Extra : |
5 (lbye=1, wides=2, noballs=2) |
| Total : |
189 runs in
39.5 overs for
4 wicket. RR = (
4.74 ).
|
| Fall of wickets : 1-29 (Jamshed, 8.4ov), 2-31 (Hafeez, 11.2ov), 3-33 (Khan, 12.5ov), 4-185 (Akmal, 38.6ov) |
| Bowler |
Overs |
Maiden |
Runs |
W |
Extra |
| Lasith Malinga |
8 |
1 |
44 |
0 |
|
| Nuwan Kulasekara |
7 |
2 |
22 |
0 |
|
| Suranga Lakmal |
8 |
1 |
37 |
2 |
2 no balls |
| Seekkuge Prasanna |
7.5 |
1 |
49 |
1 |
|
| Farveez Maharoof |
7 |
0 |
23 |
1 |
2 wides |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan |
2 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
