Sri Lanka square series 1-1

Ranjan ANANDAPPA in Dubai

Sri Lanka squared the five match one day series 1-1 when they kept their hopes alive of clinching the ODI series beating Pakistan by 25 runs in the second match at the Dubai International cricket Stadium on Monday.

Pakistan in pursuit of 236 runs for a win was all out for 209 in 46.2 overs. The Sri Lanka pacemen Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera and Dilhara Fernando shared seven wickets between themselves.

While Malinga provided the early break through, taking two wickets in the very first over of the match, Perera took two wickets and was also involved in a run out.

Dilhara Fernando had a mixed bag with two wickets which included the scalps of the two dangerman Misbah-UL-Haq and the talented right-hander Umar Akmal who was ultimately the top scorer with 91.

Fernando had the misfortune of dropping a relatively easy high catch at mid wicket of Shahid Afridi when he was only 8 and went on to add another 21 valuable runs with the score reading 175 for 8 in the 41st over. Afridi certainly looked the barrier between a Sri Lankan win and utilised just 14 balls for his 29 which contained three fours and a six prior to be run out off a throw from Dilshan.

Pakistan in their turn lost three wickets for 11 runs in 3.2 overs via the slinging square arm deliveries of Lasith Malinga.

He removed opener Mohammed Hafeez and Younis Khan, both caught behind by Sangakkara in the second and fifth balls in his first over and Thisara Perera had Imran Farhat trapped leg before wicket in his second over.

Akmal’s gallant innings of 91 cane to an end when Dinesh Chandimal took a sprawling catch at mid wicket off Dilhara Fernando

Earlier Mahela Jayawardena gave Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope with a late flourish striking precisely 50 to see his side reach 235 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs while the others finding it tough against a steady Pakistan attack.