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| Tuesday, 19 October 2004 |
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Team work helped Lanka win Paktel GSM Cup Chris Dhambarage reporting from Pakistan Pakistan, FAISALABAD, Monday. Team work was the key word for Sri Lanka's success in the Paktel GSM Cup triangular series one day international tournament concluded at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday. The Lankans were in fact third time lucky as they defeated the home team by 119 runs having suffered two defeats at the hands of the same opponents during the qualifying round of the tournament. Atapattu and his team made certain that they would not commit the same mistake twice as they bundled out the Pakistanis for 168 runs having set a tough target of 287 from 50 overs. Atapattu himself led with an example stroking an elegant 66 which was in fact his 50th one day international half century. His contribution in the final and the partnership along with Kumar Sangakkara was quite a significant one although his best batting performance came in the final league match against the same opponents. Atapattu's magnificent knock of 111 turned out to be in vain as Pakistan successfully achieved their target after Sri Lanka had piled up their highest total in the tournament. The Pakistanis also created a piece of history in this game as this was their highest ever total recorded to win a match batting second on their home grounds. Apart from Atapattu, left hander Kumar Sangakkara and Tillekeratne Dilshan also topped the fifty run mark in the final averages. Wicket keeper batsman Sangakkara emerged as the second highest run getter for Sri Lanka behind skipper Atapattu who top the list with a total of 223 runs. Sangakkara was slightly behind with a total of 175 runs which included two half centuries. Tillekeratne Dilshan although managed to score only 101 runs in the tournament did well to maintain a strike rate of well over one hundred runs which was an important factor for Sri Lanka's success in this tournament. The other half centurian in the Sri Lankan camp was opener Sanath Jayasuriya who of course stole the limelight capturing five wickets in the final. This tournament however was dominated by the batsmen with the bowlers from either side failing to live upto expectations. This was quite clear considering the fact that Pakistan's four fast bowlers Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzak, Mohammad Sami and Shoaib Akhtar all averaged over 30 runs and conceded more than four runs per over. In contrast Sri Lanka's trio of Upul Chandana, Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas really bowled well with all averaging just over 20 runs in the tournament. For Pakistan this was a major setback as they failed to win a one day international tournament on home soil for the first time. They went into the final with a one hundred percent record but were unable to deliver the goods when it really mattered. They produced the highest run getter in the tournament from either side in the form of Shoaib Malik who aggregated 260 runs including three half centuries. In addition skipper Inzamam ul Haq and Younis Khan both averaged well over 50 runs while Abdul Razzak finished with an astonishing average of 119 runs mainly due to two not outs from his three innings. |
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