Pakistan touches T20 World Cup
Tillekeratne Dilshan Player of the Series:
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting
It was thus far and no more for Sri Lanka. Inexplicable changes in
the batting order, after losing early wickets showed that panic had seen
in and the Sri Lankans were forced to gift victory to the Pakistanis in
the final of the ICC World Cup Twenty20 final by 8 wickets here at Lords
today.
The odds were on Sri Lanka to win. The toss too turned in their
favour. But the early loss of Tillakaratne Dilshan saw the Lanks panic
and although Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Matthews made a determined
effort to restore sanity to the innings, it proved futile.
The Pakistanis who were runners-up in the previous competition to
India avenged that defeat and will now have their names engraved in the
trophy as the new winners.
Their success is all the more creditable considering that in entering
the final they lost two games.
After Pakistan lost Kamran Akmal fort 37 in 28 balls and Shahzaib
Hasan for 19 in 23, Sahid Afridi 54 and Shoaib Malik 24. Pakistan made
139 for 2 in 18.4 overs. It was a fine summer’s day with the sun shining
brightly when skippers Kumar Sangakkara and Younus Khan walked out toss.
Sangakkara was lucky with the toss and took first strike.
It was a packed house when the first ball was bowled. The wicket was
the same one on which the women’s final was played and it looked a good
one for batting with the ball coming on nicely.
But the Sri Lankans were off to a horror start when the heavy scoring
Tillekaratne Dilshan, attempting his signature shot going down on one
knee and scooping the ball over the wicket keepers lobbed up and was
caught without troubling the scorers. Then one saw Jehan Mubarak
emerging one drop. Now that was inexplicable considering that, other
than the first game against Australia, he has been in very poor form.
He too did not trouble the scorer, hitting too early and skying with
one run on the board. For a side batting first with no pressure on it
was sad. Jayasuriya and Sangakkara added 24 for the third wicket, when
Jayasuriya who was looking good with a six and two fours dragged one to
his wicket. He made 17.
Six runs later it was another setback when Mahela Jayawardena guided
a ball to slip for 1. Abdur Razaq, the medium pace all-rounder who was
making a comeback was pitching his medium pacers on line and it was the
impetuosity of the batsmen, that gifted their wickets.
Then Sangakkara and Chamara Silva who was also in need of runs in
this completion added 35 runs for the 5th wicket, before Silva lollied a
catch to mid wicket in making 1 14 off 19 with 2 fours. Isuru Udana was
bowled for 1 at 70.
Then it was left to Sangakkara and Angelo Matthews to add
respectability to the score by putting on 68 for the 7th wicket in 44
balls. Sangakkara who played a responsible innings remained unbeaten on
64 with 7 fours in 52 balls, with his 50 coming in 44 balls with 5
fours.
Angelo Matthews showed that he is turning out to being an excellent
all-rounder in this style of game by remaining unbeaten on 35 with 3
fours and one six. A study will show that the Lankans fell short by 30
runs on a wicket that was easy for batting and considering that the
outfield was fast Sri Lanka finally made 138 for six in 20.
Medium pacer Abdur Razaq who caused the early damage finished with 3
for 20 in 3 overs. |
