Poor thinking by the think tanks and…

SL lose second game by 23 runs to Pakistan

Poor thinking by the Sri Lanka think tanks when they rested two of their big guns led to their defeat by 23 runs in the final Twenty20 game against Pakistan at the Mahinda Rajapakasa International Cricket Stadium under lights,here today.

Sri Lanka won the first game and with Pakistan avenging that defeat in the second game, the trophy and the prize money was shared which again proved the exercise in futility of playing two games.

Sri Lanka chasing 123 for victory were always out of the picture due to irresponsible batting and poor shot selection and it did not come as a shock when they lost the game much to the annoyance of the crowd. Sri Lankans were all out for 99 in 19.2 overs.

It came has a surprise when it was announced that skipper Mahela Jayawardena and Lasith Malinga were rested with Chamara Kapugedera and Isuru Udanan coming in. Angelo Mathews took over the captaincy.

In a game that Sri Lanka must win, it was a bit confusing the resting of these two main players. The questions asked were: are the Lankans not laying much emphasis on winning Twenty20 games and what rest can you gain by skipping a Twenty20 game?

Jayawardena and Malinga played in every game for their teams in the Indian Premier League, but it was intriguing their resting in this crucial game.

It was huge disappointment for all the fans who thronged the stadium to watch these two draw cards perform, when it was announced that they were not playing.

Pakistan skipper Mohammed Hafeez beat Angelo Mathews in the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that proved slow with the ball not coming on to the bat and making batting difficult.

Tight Sri Lankan bowling restricted Pakistan to 41 for 4 – losing the wickets of Ahmed Shezhad 6, Khalid Latiff 1, Uma Akmal 6 and Mohammed Hafeez 24 and was 41 for 4 in 10.1 overs.

Then the two elder statesmen of Pakistan cricket, Shoaib Malik and Sahid Afridi who became the first player to play in 50 Twenty20 games, locked horns to post a 68-run stand for the 5th wicket in 50 balls.

Both were looking for the boundaries and played the inside out shot to perfection until Malik attempting to hit Thisara Perera over the mid wicket boundary was taken by Dilshan for 27 with 3 fours off 26 deliveries.

Pakistan lost another wicket that of Arafat for 2 and ended on 122 for 6 in 20 with Afridi remaining unbeaten on 52 with 5 fours and a six. It was nice to see Afridi back in the form that he is renowned for.

Nuwan Kulasekera had 2 for 13 in 4 and Kaushal Lokurachchi 2 for 31 in 4.

Sahid Afridi was the Man of the Match in the final while Sohail Tanvir was adjudged the Player of the Series.