Pakistan tame Lanka in their own den

Pakistan crushed hosts Sri Lanka by 79 runs in the opening match of the triangular one-day series on Saturday. Sri Lanka, who had earlier re...

Pakistan crushed hosts Sri Lanka by 79 runs in the opening match of the triangular one-day series on Saturday. Sri Lanka, who had earlier restricted Pakistan to 199 for eight, were bowled out for 120 in just 43.1 overs.

Pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami together with off-spinner Shoaib Malik claimed two wickets apiece as Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 22 runs.

Sri Lanka had looked on course for victory during a 61-run partnership for the second wicket between skipper Marvan Atapattu and Kumar Sangakkara. The pair came together after Sanath Jayasuriya sliced his first ball from Akhtar to second slip in the first over. Run scoring was never easy against Pakistan’s four-pronged pace attack on a sluggish pitch.

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Three overs later, Akhtar returned to the attack to dismiss Sangakkara. Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold repaired some of the damage, adding 33 runs in 37 balls, but Sami bowled Jayawardene and Romesh Kaluwitharana chipped a catch to mid-wicket off spinner Malik.

Brief score:
Pakistan: 199 (M Hafeez 53, Y Khan 29, A Razzaq 24no; Muralitharan 3/38). Sri Lanka: 120 (M Atapattu 26, K Sangakkara 29, M Jayawardene 22; Akhtar 2/19, Sami 2/19, Malik 2/23).

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