Filed under SL in Pak Jan-Feb 2009

Tillakaratane Dilshan is what Mahendra Singh Dhoni is for India, or Michael Hussey (now David Hussey) are for Australia & what JP Duminy is doing for South Africa lately. These cricketers have not exceptional talent with bat but sheer love for the game and ability to hit the ball not to fielders but in between them make these players exceptional.

Dilshan also reminds me of former Lankan middle order bat Roshan Mahanama and Michael Bevan of Australia who always batted at the most risky position for their team & saw them home most of time.

Tillakaratane Dilshan has hit purple patch with bat since Test series in Bangaldesh 2 months ago and Srilankan think tank is now cashing in on his form by sending him as opener. Dilshan made blazing start in first ODI, but rest of batsmen spoiled his efforts. Today in 2nd ODI against Pakistan, Dilshan made sure he stays at the wicket longer than yesterday and when he got out in the 30th over at personal score of 76 off 88 balls - Lankan total had bounced upto 165 with 7 wickets in hand.

Young Kandamby also supported Dilshan with fine 59, laying perfect foundation for later batters to finish off the innings.. Chamara Kapugedara did it in fine style with 39 ball 44 with 2 fours and 2 sixes. Even all rounder Farveez Maharoof joined in the party with his 13 ball 17 and Lankan total mounted upto 290 by the time 50th over finished.

Pakistani chase had a horrifying start, losing Khurram Manzoor + Younis Khan _ Misbah-ul-Haq inside first 4 overs with only 17 runs on board. Captain Shoaib Mallik tried to steady home team's ship with opener Salman Butt with 108 run partnership but once they both fell 5 balls apart - Pakistani challenge in this one day international was all but than over!

Pakistan vs Srilanka : 2nd ODI : 21 January 2009, Karachi : Full Scorecard
Srilanka = 290 for 8 wickets in 50 overs
Tillakaratne Dilshan	c Misbah	b Akhtar	76	88 balls, 11x4
Sanath Jayasuriya	hit wicket	b Gul	19	17 balls, 4x4
Kumar Sangakkara	run out	(Gul)	16	22 balls, 3x4
SH Kandamby	c Mallik	b Anjum	59	79 balls, 4x4
Mahela Jayawardene	c Akmal	b Gul	24	34 balls, 1x4
Chamara Kapugedara	c Younis	b Gul	44	39 balls, 2x4, 2x6
Farveez Maharoof		b Tanvir	17	13 balls, 2x4
Thilan Thusara	c Akmal	b Gul	8	7 balls
Muthiah Muralitharan	not out		11*	7 balls, 1x4
Nuwan Kulasekara	not out		0*	0 balls
Ajantha Mendis	did not bat
Shoaib Akhtar = 6-0-45-1 (1nb, 2wd)		Sohail Tanvir = 7-0-50-1 (3nb, 1wd)
Iftikhar Anjum = 10-1-43-1 (2wd)		Umar Gul = 9-0-58-4 (1nb, 1wd)
Shahid Afridi = 10-0-42-0 (1nb, 1wd)		Shoaib Akhtar = 8-0-51-0 (1wd)
Pakistan (Target = 290 in 50 overs) = 161 for 10 wickets in 34.5 overs
Khurram Manzoor	hu	b Kulasekara	1	2 balls
Salman Butt	c J'wardene	b Jayasuriya	62	87 balls, 6x4
Younus Khan		b Kulasekara	4	8 balls
Misbah-ul-Haq	c S'kkara	b Thusara	1	2 balls
Shoaib Mallik	c S'kkara	b Muralitharan	54	52 balls, 5x4, 1x6
Kamran Akmal	c S'kkara	b Mendis	6	10 balls
Shahid Afridi	c Kulasekara	b Muralitharan	14	19 balls, 1x4
Sohail Tanvir	c Dilshan	b Muralitharan	1	2 balls
Umar Gul	lbw	b Mendis	0	6 balls
Iftikhar Anjum	lbw	b Mendis	5	13 balls, 1x4
Shoaib Akhtar	not out		1	10 balls
Nuwan Kulasekara = 7-0-31-2 (1wd)		Thilan Thusara = 5-0-24-1
Farveez Maharoof = 5-0-31-0 (1wd)		Ajantha Mendis = 6.5-1-29-3
Ajantha Mendis = 7-0-41-0		Sanath Jayasuriya = 3-0-7-0
Sanath Jayasuriya = 4-1-23-1 (1wd)		Muthiah Muralitharan = 7-1-19-3 (1wd)
Srilanka won by 129 runs, Bank Alfalah ODI series locked 1-1 with 1 game to go..

ODI Squad : Srilanka pack up experience for Pakistan.

ODI Squad : Pakistan throw opportunites for future stars

Srilanka vs Pakistan cricket series : January-February 2009 : all info

Tickets : Sri Lanka in Pakistan : ODI & Test Match Series 2009

1st ODI : Rao Iftikhar Anjum & Umar Gul bowl Pakistan to victory

2nd ODI : Srilanka ride on Tillakarane Dilshan's form to level series

Test Squad : Srilanka recall veteran Vaas for Tests in Pakistan.

Test Squad : Younis Khan to captain Pakistan (again).

1st Test : Srilanka survive scare : Pakistan pick points : Match Draw