Misbah, Afridi earn Pakistan Twenty20 win

Misbahul Haq struck 48 to guide Pakistan home with a cameo from Afridi helping the cause.

ABU DHABI: A cameo performance from Shahid Afridi and some mature batting from Misbahul Haq saw Pakistan win the only Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka to sweep all the honours in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

After being given a good start by the openers, Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan chasing 142 for victory, raced to 31 runs in the third over.  On the last ball of the fourth over, Hafeez was trapped leg-before-wicket by Perera. Farhat and incoming batsmen Asad Shafiq could not even continue their partnership through the next over with Farhat getting caught at long-on by Perera off Mendis.

The explosive Umar Akmal Joined Shafiq at the crease, however, he too could not provide Shafiq any support as Dilshan bowled him clean for a duck.

The captain, Misbahul Haq entered the fray. Haq and Shafiq started the process of rebuilding Pakistan’s innings with the captain keeping the runs ticking without exposing himself.

After a 35 run partnership, Shafiq got out to a bizarre dismissal. Trying to hoist one over the on-side, he failed to pick a slower delivery from Malinga. The ball pitched and hit Shafiq before rolling on to the stumps . With Shafiq’s dismissal, Pakistan were left struggling on 91 runs at the end of 15 overs. The team required 50 more runs off the next five overs.

Shahid Afridi stepped up and uncharacteristically played his first over calmly without any slogs. The captain though took it upon himself in the subsequent over slogging three boundaries off Fernando in the 17^th over. However, at this point Pakistan still required a further 29 runs off 18 deliveries. The subsequent over too only yielded six runs for Pakistan.

With the pressure mounting, Afridi stepped up and slogged two sixes off Dilhara Fernando before mis-hits a third slog straight in to wicket keeper Sangakkara’s gloves.

Requiring nine of the final six deliveries, Sri Lanka committed proverbial suicide giving away six extras, taking the pressure right off Pakistan. Haq squirted the ball down the off side and ran for two. Angelo, fielding the ball, threw it at the batsman’s end, however wicket keeper Sangakkara was not in position, allowing Haq to get the extras. Malik then wrapped up the match as he edged the ball to thirdman to run the final two runs.

Sri Lanka, opting to bat first in the only Twenty20 international match against Pakistan, were bowled out for 141 in 19.3 overs at the Abu Dhabi stadium on Friday.

Paceman Aizaz Cheema returned with a devastating spell that checked the high flying Sri Lankans who at the half way mark in their innings were 91 for three. Sharp bowling from the spinners, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal pegged Sri Lanka back while Cheema had more of a strike effect as he finished with figures of four for 30.

Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Tillakartne Dilshan won the toss and decided to bat.

Sri Lanka, who lost the preceding Test and one-day series against Pakistan, brought in spinners Ajanta Mendis and Dilruwan Perera in the side which lost the fifth and final match here on Wednesday.

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Sohail Tanvir, Asad Shafiq.

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Angelo Mathews, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Charmara Silva

Umpires: Zameer Haider (PAK) and Ahsan Raza (PAK)

Tv umpire: Shozaib Raza (PAK)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)