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Shirajiv Sirimane reporting from Dubai....

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 46 runs to clinch the inaugural Asia Cup under 15-cricket tournament at the newly built Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Electing to bat first the Pakistan team slumped to 4 for 63 but dramatically recovered to post a match winning total of 233 for 7.

Raza Ali Dar, led the charge by striking a swashbuckling 76 off 55 balls with four sixes and three boundaries. He was ably supported by Salman Akbar who rallied around him to score a gritty 49 off 63 balls, which included five hits to the ropes. The pair put on 120 runs for the fifth wicket.

Sri Lanka bowlers like Malinda Pushpakumara and Angelo Mathew who had been successful earlier matches went wicketless and Pushpakumara was hit for two successive sixes by Ali Dar. Shalika Karunaratne bowled with authority taking 2 for 47 and returning the most successful bowling figures. Rajeev Weerasinghe was economical bowling 8 overs for 18 runs and he also took one wicket.

Sri Lanka taking the second lease of the wicket never settled down and lost wicket at regular intervals and were bowled out in the last ball of the match for 187 runs.

Sri Lanka had a ray of hope when Sachitra Serasinghe (40) and Thulanidu Thirimanne (37) put on 31 runs for the second wicket in quick succession. But when they departed and skipper was run out for the third successive match for 16 Sri Lanka lost their way. Prabudda Perera led a lone battle in the final overs and was unbeaten on a stubborn 43.

Spinners Fayyaz Ahmed (3 for 30) Raza Ali (2 for 30.) bowled well The only silver lining in the day for the Sri Lanka team was fact that skipper Angel Mathew was adjudged the player of the tournament for his fine all round performance.

Skipper Angelo Mathew said that they lost their grip of the game in the mid way of the Pakistan team innings that caused them the match. "Our bowlers did not do well." Coach Sunil Fernando said that the bowling changers were not very effective and the Lankan batsman did not settle down to play long innings.

Pakistan manager said that it was a good match and the better team won.

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