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TANGIERS, Morocco, Wednesday (AFP)

Waqar Younis' Pakistan celebrated their country's Independence Day with a 28-run win over Sri Lanka in the three-nation Morocco Cup here on Wednesday.

The Pakistanis piled up 279 for five from their 50 overs after being given first strike and then restricted Sri Lanka to 251 for eight at the Tangiers cricket stadium.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq demolished the Sri Lankans with three for 36 while Wasim Akram claimed two for 56.

It was Pakistan's first win in the 250,000-dollar event after going down to South Africa by 54 runs in Monday's opening match.

The Pakistanis assembled on the field before the start of play to sing the national anthem, marking the 55th anniversary of their country's independence from British rule.

Their total revolved around three half-centuries, the most notable being a belligerent 56 not out by Younis Khan off just 39 balls, which made the difference at the end.

Left-handed Saeed Anwar hit 70 and Inzamam-ul Haq 63 as Pakistan scoffed at Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya's decision to field first in overcast conditions.

It was Anwar's 42nd half-century in one-day cricket from 234 matches, while Inzamam moved to 62 fifties from 270 games.

But the hard-hitting display by Younis and Razzaq towards the end of the innings overshadowed the senior batsmen.

Razzaq remained unbeaten on 29 off 11 balls as Pakistan clubbed 45 runs in the last three overs, including 25 in the final over bowled by left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas.

Vaas finished with one for 61, conceding three sixes, one boundary, two singles and a wide in his 10th over.

Younis hit five boundaries and two sixes, while Razzaq smashed two fours and two sixes before the overs ran out.

Sri Lanka got off to a sound reply as Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu hammered 55 for the first wicket by the ninth over.

Jayasuriya hit 36 off 33 balls before falling to a brilliant catch at point by Imran Nazir, who made amends for fumbling an easy catch in the same position against Atapattu.

Atapattu then added 61 for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara, but ruined his team's chances by groping to 42 in 31 overs.

Frustrated by his inability to push the score, Atapattu lofted Shahid Afridi to long-off where Razzaq took a low catch.

Upul Chandana, promoted to number five in a bid to force the pace, smashed Afridi for a six, but holed out against Waqar to reduce Sri Lanka to 161 for four in the 36th over.

It soon became 191 for six as Mahela Jayawardena (32) and Aravinda De Silva (two) fell in quick succession.

Russel Arnold and Vaas delayed the end with a 58-run stand for the seventh wicket.

Vaas smashed 31 off 25 balls, while Arnold remained unbeaten on 37.

Sri Lanka return on Thursday to take on South Africa in their second match. Pakistan v Sri Lanka one-day 

scoreboard 

PAKISTAN

Saeed Anwar b Chandana				70
Imran Nazir lbw b Vaas				 9
Yousuf Youhana c Sangakkara b Fernando		32
Inzamam-ul Haq c Jayawardena b Gunaratne	63
Shahid Afridi c Chandana b Muralitharan		13
Younis Khan not out				56
Abdul Razzaq not out				29

Extras: (lb1, nb1, w5)				 7
TOTAL (for five wickets) 		       279
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-15, 2-85, 3-147, 4-170, 
5-229 BOWLING: Vaas 10-0-61-1, Gunaratne 10-0-69-1, 
Fernando 9-0-56-1, Muralitharan 10-1-35-1, 
Chandana 5-0-29-1, Jayasuriya 6-0-28-0 
Overs: 50

SRI LANKA

S. Jayasuriya c Nazir b Akram			36
M. Atapattu c Razzaq b Afridi			42
K. Sangakkara c Akram b Razzaq			38
M. Jayawardena c Afridi b Razzaq		32
U. Chandana c Youhana b Waqar			15
R. Arnold not out				37
A. De Silva lbw b Sami				 2
C. Vaas c Afridi b Akram			31
P. Gunaratne b Razzaq				 0
D. Fernando not out				 1

Extras: (lb7, w7, nb3)				17
TOTAL (for eight wickets) 		       251
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-55, 2-116, 3-141, 4-161, 5-187, 
6-191, 7-249, 8-250 
BOWLING: Akram 10-0-56-2, 
Waqar 10-0-77-1, Razzaq 10-1-36-3, Sami 10-0-39-1, 
Afridi 10-1-36-1 
Overs: 50 
Pakistan won by 28 runs 
Man of the match: Younis Khan (Pak)

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