Sri Lanka survive Afridi’s heroics

Sri Lanka survived a brutal onslaught by Shahid Afridi to escape with a 16-run win in the first match of the Asia Cup.

Sri Lanka survived a brutal onslaught by Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi to escape with a 16-run win in the first match of the Asia Cup in Dambulla. Afridi, who made a career-best 109 and reached 6,000 runs in one day cricket, as he hit eight fours and seven sixes, was Pakistan’s lone hope after the top order, in pursuit of a 243-run target, failed to make any impression. Lasith Malinga tore through Pakistan’s line-up with his best bowling performance in One Day Internationals – five for 34 – as none of the batsmen crossed the 30-run mark, except Afridi.

Pakistan were reduced to 32 for four when Umar Akmal was joined by Afridi, who took it upon himself to lead his team all the way. Until Afridi’s arrival in the 14th over, Pakistan had managed only one boundary.

Umar was dismissed when Pakistan were 105 and Afridi then partnered with the outgoing batsman’s brother, Kamran for a meaningful 49-run partnership. Kamran was run-out as Afridi began to show signs of discomfort and brilliance – limping while he hit boundary after boundary which incidentally, accounted for 74 of his 109 runs. But he managed to overcome his cramps as he hit Muralitharan for another six before being caught behdind on a ball that bounced and turned sharply to catch him by surprise. Abdul Razzaq hung around but ran out of partners as Malinga completed his five-for to complete an incredible win for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s innings

Earlier, Sri Lanka were off to a reasonable start on the slow Dambulla wicket before Shoaib Akhtar gave Pakistan their first breakthrough. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene added 83 for the third wicket to take the score to 119, before Afridi broke the stand. The innings derailed after the captain’s dismissal as Sri Lanka collapsed to 168 for seven. Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik struck within four balls before Akhtar provided two more wickets to put Pakistan on top.

Angelo Mathews, who stood and watched as wickets fell around him, then found an able partner in Nuwan Kulasekara and added 43 runs for the eighth wicket to take the score past 200. Mohammad Aamer, who had not impressed until the final overs, got his first wicket.

But Mathews added 28 runs with Lasith Malinga to reach his fifty and give Sri Lanka a respectable total. Akhtar returned with an impressive three for 41 while Aamer claimed two for 57.

Salman Butt

“I am a bit disheartened. It was a chasable target but we lost four quick wickets. Umar and Afridi brought us back but we kept losing wickets whenever we came back in the game. Afridi has cramps but hopefully will be feeling better for the next match.”

Kumar Sangakkara

“This is probably the best I have seen Afridi bat. But Malinga bowled really well in those conditions. He got us vital breakthroughs and we managed to hang in there. We got our basic rights but we need to get more ruthless when we get opportunities.”

Published in the Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2010.