Another sorry tale for Pakistan that lead to an exciting 2 wicket win for Srilanka. The match was built around a brilliant innings from Angelo Mathews who stole the show with a match winning fifty. With 15 needed of the last over, chances were tilted towards Pakistan but Mohammad Sami bowled a disastrous 2nd ball of the over (the first ball being a wide and 2 being taken of the legitimate first ball) that was taken for six straight over the head of the bowler.
Pakistan selection came under scrutiny when they left out ace off-spinner Saeed Ajmal out for Mohammad Sami and that came out to be the difference in the end. While poor ground-fielding produced the reprieves towards the end of the innings, it combined with poor catching in the first half. Misfields and a ball kicked for four in the outfield preceded a straightforward catch dropped off Kumar Sangakkara on 25 by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed. The run that lapse conceded brought about a half-century stand between Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal. It had helped Sri Lanka recover from two early blows inflicted by Tanvir, who castled Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga. Even though Sarfraz reacted sharply to run out Sangakkara for 36, the Pakistani heads continued to sink in their hands as the fielding woes didn't stop.
Pakistan selection came under scrutiny when they left out ace off-spinner Saeed Ajmal out for Mohammad Sami and that came out to be the difference in the end. While poor ground-fielding produced the reprieves towards the end of the innings, it combined with poor catching in the first half. Misfields and a ball kicked for four in the outfield preceded a straightforward catch dropped off Kumar Sangakkara on 25 by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed. The run that lapse conceded brought about a half-century stand between Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal. It had helped Sri Lanka recover from two early blows inflicted by Tanvir, who castled Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga. Even though Sarfraz reacted sharply to run out Sangakkara for 36, the Pakistani heads continued to sink in their hands as the fielding woes didn't stop.
Pakistan replaced an experienced Younis Khan with Imran Farhat, who
opened the batting and delivered to make a fluent fifty, with shots
relying heavily on wristwork and backed up with flourish. He built a
solid partnership with Ali, who then formed a steady association with
Asad Shafiq. Each of the three batsmen, however, gave their wickets away
- Farhat and Ali were caught off avoidable shots while a moment's
hesitation for a single accounted for Shafiq.
Umar Akmal gave the innings impetus with his attacking, unbeaten 55. He
thrice flicked Lasith Malinga past short fine, struck Perera for two
sixes and promised to take Pakistan past 260. At 220 for 6 in the 44th
over, that was well within reach. Akmal was picking Malinga's slower
ones, but that changed soon as the seamer got his yorkers on the mark.
Akmal made room, moved across, swung hard, tried to scoop, but Malinga
had the better of the contest at the death. His thrift ensured Akmal
managed only nine runs off his last 19 balls, and Pakistan just 27 off
the last six overs. It would hurt Pakistan in the end, but not as much
as their fielding.
There had been several mini-conferences between overs, parallel
discussions between fielders, all summing up Pakistan's struggle to
close the lid despite climbing to positions of advantage. The run-outs
of Thisara Perera and Lahiru Thirimanne deprived Mathews of two capable
partners, but Pakistan were in for a surprise soon when Mathews ceded
floor to Mendis, who kickstarted the counterattack.
Just when the required-rate had gone past nine an over in the 44th,
Mendis smashed Sohail Tanvir's slower ball for six over long-on before
driving and glancing Umar Gul for two boundaries. Tanvir eventually got
rid of Mendis, but Kulasekara hung on, even collecting a fortuitous
boundary past third man off Sami. The pair of Kulasekara and Mathews
knocked off six singles in the penultimate over, leading up to Mathews'
final surge in the 50th that included another missed run-out.