Mathews leads Sri Lanka to ODI series victory
Sri Lanka won the series 3-1. One game had been abandoned due to rain.
Kumar Sangakkara (40), Dinesh Chandimal (54) had given Sri Lanka the platform which allowed them to achieve the target. Angelo Mathews, who top scored with 80 runs, struck the winning boundary.
Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir was the pick of the bowlers taking three wickets for 42 runs in his alloted 10 overs. Pacer Mohammad Sami, who has been under pressure to justify his selection for the tour, failed to really turn up as he was smashed all over the park to concede an astonishing 75 runs, with 15 coming off in the final over.
Earlier Pakistan had scored a competitive 247-7 after electing to bat against Sri Lanka in the fifth and final one-day international in Colombo on Monday.
Imran Farhat (56) and Umar Akmal (55 not out) scored half-centuries for Pakistan while leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis and paceman Nuwan Kulasekara each took two wickets for Sri Lanka in the day-night match.
Sri Lanka had made one change from the team which won the last match by 44 runs on Saturday, replacing Sajeewa Weerakoon with leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis.
Pakistan brought in batsman Imran Farhat and paceman Mohammad Sami in place of Younis Khan and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan: Misbahul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Sohail Tanvir.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Jeevan Mendis.
Umpires: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI) and Paul Reiffel (AUS)
TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)
A slideshow of the match can be viewed here.
COMMENTS (25)
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@Vishnu Dutta: I think India has oldest players in world...u should worry for your own team
Absolutely brilliant victory for team Sri Lanka. all the players did so well specially Angelo Mathews. Well done SL Lions!
@PPP Fan: That's a really good explainatioin! I couldn't stop laughing, keep it coming dude.
I watched the match. I can tell you with certainty that this match was fixed.
You all know who takes the money - loser and not a winner.
I am surprised none of our Pakistani friends have already so I will - Please vote for PTI cause that is supposed to fix everything :)
Guys calm down, I never get this why people take cricket matches so seriously .. Games are meant for entertainment of viewers and supporters .. It was really great game the way it entertained every one .. Win & Loss is part of it ... one must appreciate the way Sri Lankan batsmen handled the situation. Congratulations to them for their dedication.
I am from Karachi where the people always shout about why players from their city are not picked and due to their intense whining parchi players like Sami and Sarfraz Ahmed are picked which have capability like of Bangali players
Sami was terrible No doubt. But with such atrocious fielding can any one expect Pakistan to win?Our team is running on miracle. Eithers its Afridi good day or Saeed Ajmal on a ramopage or some one else who shines for a match or two. The rest become freeloaders. There isnt a consistent team performance. Compare that to the Sirilankans who will fight till the end and field like there lives depend on it. Or in reality there Bowling attack(apart from Malinga) is average and there Batting can be restricted with the right strategy. The Tests will e brutal unless Pakistan team doesnt realize they have to work as a TEAM. Afridi had his faults but he did get the team to work together.
please someone tell me this match proves to be last nail in Misbah's captaincy's coffin in addition to Sami's as well
Please, where are all the outraged people saying that the only reason Sami wasnt playing for Pakistan was because he was from Karachi? They disappear after poor performances.
I do not understand why PCB is not talking services of Wasim Akram. He has proved his worth in IPL where KKR were the champions.
BTW this game did expose pakistani bowling which is touted to be the best in the world. after 7 wickets gone for under 200 one would imagine that it is a cakewalk for a decent bowling attack. and with aging fleet of batsmen you cannot expect miracles. pakistan should really work on the next world cup team and make tough decisions.
Salam buddies, The sri lankan deserved to win because they played professionally and were not in rush. I congratulate them for the win. On other hand we should not blame Pakistani. The reason is that the PCB is unable to train them how to field, also due to corrupt element some worse cricketer come to the games. In this regards I would like to suggest that they should learn from this defeat and improve their cricket in term of doing thing in proper ways at proper time besides improving their fielding sector Regards, Ahmad
Pakistan should not be disheartened. it was a very good game and a great entertainer. totally deserving last game.
BTW why blame sami, you didnt play him in last three matches and expect miracle with the poorest fielding. in the last over itself pakistan fielders could have two run outs. bowlers need support from fielders you know.
It is totally insane to prefer Sami over the best off spinner in the world Saeed Ajmal.The tour selection committe better have a good explanation.I insist they owe an apology to the cricket crazy people of Pakistan.
When would we ever learn to play with strategy, and planning how could any team win with 15 required off the last over, 8 down! This is beyond normalcy
U know what! seems lyk We've vowed to perform worse in one of the departments! If bowlers work Batsmen dnt! If fortunately batsmen work Bowlers Dont nd if luckily both work Fielding drowns the Ship!
Drop Ajmal...the best off spinner of world on lankan slow pitches, drop vital catches, miss vital run-outs, lots of wides and misfields, bring back the "best bowler of all time Sami....in 50th over......." ....result the opposition wins.....verdict ...I leave to you all.....skeptics will say it was "fixed"....I would say it was result of confused selection and bad bad bad coaching...just look back at 2011...u were winning with same captain....due to a good coach (Mohsin & Waqar) ...you were wining due to good selection and coaching with approach and tactics.....and now you have everything wrong..we were already bad with fielding...now we are even worse due to Fontain......due to Whatmore and party....!!!!!!
How can you give the last over to sami after such a dismal performance r u kidding me? Even hafeez would have been a better choice, not playing ajmal, and not fo forget the brilliant fielding.
This is a fault of previous governments, not PPP. Zaka Ashraf is a dynamic person running PCB now, unlike Dr Naseem Ashraf who was a political appointment. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was a keen advocate of sports specially cricket, and her vision is being carried out via His Highness President Asif Ali Zardari.
I wish I have my hands on Sami. He was playing on behalf of the Sri Lanka team.
@Pinto: not a single duck today....this is fifth ODI...you still seem to be stuck in last ODI.....! the real point to worth raising would have been slow batting in last 15 overs by Pak....
Its a duck hunting season going on right now in pak cricket.expecting lot of ducks from pak batters