Pakistani players celebrate after Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka was caught out during the 1st One Day International between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Sharjah, on December 18, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
With an imperious batting display, Pakistani bowlers were in complete control of the match when Sri Lanka lost its seventh wicket for 221 runs in the 42nd over.
However, defiant batting from Seekkuge Prasanna and Sachithra Senanayake coupled with a spell of disastrous fielding from Pakistan saw the Sri Lankans add 87 runs for the eight wicket partnership.
Prasanna and Senanayake both made 42 each off 25 and 24 balls respectively, taking Sri Lanka to within touching distance of victory.
With just 15 needed of the last seven deliveries, Sohail Tanveer took his only wicket of the match to dismiss Senanayake who was caught by Anwer Ali.
That knocked the wind out of Sri Lankan sails and lost the final two wickets in quick succession in the final over.
Junaid Khan took three wickets for 44 runs in his 5.4 overs, while Shaid Afridi finished with the figures of two wickets for 30 runs in his seven overs.
Had a great day in Sharjah today! One hour chat with Hafeez plus session with Team Pak in Dressing Room. Boys promised a fighting win today.
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) December 18, 2013
Earlier, a strong batting performance from Pakistan, including a century from Mohammad Hafeez and half centuries from Sohaib Maqsood and Sharjeel Khan saw the team post a challenging 323 run target for Sri Lanka to chase in the first One-day international in Shahrjah on Wednesday.
Pakistan got off to a rocky start when they lost Ahmed Shehzad, 11 runs, in the sixth over with the score at just 35.
However, debutant Sharjeel Khan and Twenty20 captain Hafeez, put on 83 runs for the second wicket. Sharjeel scored an impressive 61 runs off 61 balls.
But Hafeez and Sohaib Maqsood carried on from where Sharjeel left off. They added 140 runs for the third wicket before Sohaib was run out, having scored 73 runs.
There was still time though for Hafeez to complete his century, scoring 122 runs before his dismissal. Even under fire all rounder Shahid Afridi added a quickfire 34 before being dismissed.
Pakistan ended the innings on 322 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in the first One-Day International (ODI) on Wednesday at the Sharjah stadium.
Only one change was made in the national team with Sharjeel Khan added to the squad. Khan will be making his ODI debut today.
The preceding T20 series was drawn between the series and Team Green is eyeing a win in the ODI series to end 2013 on a high note after a chequered year for Misbahul Haq’s men.
Pakistan: Misbahul Haq, Abdur Rehman, Ahmed Shehzad, Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Bilawal Bhatti, Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal
Sri Lanka: AD Mathews, LD Chandimal, TM Dilshan, FDM Karunaratne, KMDN Kulasekara, RAS Lakmal, SL Malinga, BAW Mendis, MDKJ Perera, NLTC Perera, S Prasanna, SMA Priyanjan, KC Sangakkara†, SMSM Senanayake, HDRL Thirimanne, KDK Vithanage
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Correction: An earlier headline of this article was grammatically incorrect and has been fixed.
COMMENTS (25)
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OK Mr. Suhail Tanvir what do you have to say about your performance in 2nd ODI??
Idon't understand why you react to the criticism . U r now public property dear . the more people criticise u the more u learn , so stop doing this and concentrate on your performance like u did in 1st T20 as a bowler and 2nd T20 as a batsman against Srilanka . "Hun Khush" @Sohail Tanvir:
Let us not pick on sohail Tanveer. None of the pacers on either side distinguished themselves .perhaps the pitch and fielding has something to do with it. Pakistan always had great pace attack. But even that can have off day. Our best spinner also had a so so day.but great teams always manage to salvage matches one way or the other. Let us enjoy this victory and look forward to Friday ,s game Good hunting guys
The Sri Lankans played pretty well.
@Sohail Tanvir: Sorry to say they give you 10 overs while Junaid has hardly done 5.4 overs. If you see you got the bad sixes due to poor bowling. You're giving short pitch and low bouncers so that parsanna can hit you hard. That's what he did to you. We could've easily loss this game if you don't bowl smart.
@SK: As I have already mentioned above replying to @Fawad: criticize but be fare. If you could have a look at the scorecard, you may see that I was the least expensive fast bowler yesterday. Further, please also check my above response for further enlightenment.
Suhai Tanvir Saheb,
You have been bowling for such a long time but I am sorry you have not bowled to your potential. May be instead of blaming miss field or other team mates you concentrate on your length and speed. Look at Malinga and how he bowled yorkers and use them continuously making it hard for batsmen to hit him. I am not saying he don't have bad days but he mostly he does bowl with very good accuracy. You don't have the speed to bowl short balls so you need to stop bowling short balls and if you don't like what I am saying look at the game video's for all your bowling in last few years. Another thing may be coach don't make the bowlers practice hard enough and also make you guys work out to make muscles to get better. Think about it please as its a pleasure to play for the country cricket team and make it count for all those Pakistani fans..
Take the criticism like a men and own up to it by watching the game video and improve yourself.
Aamir Khan aamir007@gmail.com
@saeed minhas: Read the last line of this news item starting with "Correction". I don't have to do "nothing" more. (Pun intended)
What's wrong with this heading , and why not you make it correct and beautify it with your precious thoughts@Rashid:
Irfan, Tanveer, Junaid, Omar Gul and Anwar Ali bowlers, Afridi and Hafeez spinners/batsmen, Sherjeel, Sohaib and another batsman and batsman/keepr should be the team. Plus no preplanned match results to appease Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, South Africa boards
"Sri Lanka series: Pakistan first win ODI by 11 runs"
Is this English?
Strong performance by team Pakistan. It was good to see a team performance altogether. 8th wicket partnership was hurting Pakistan but this do happens as in Cape Town when Pakistan's 8th wicket changed the match in Pakistan's favor. But this time, luckily for Pakistan that at the end of the day no one would remember the partnership because it went into veins due to lost cause.
@Sry: Sorry, but not over the years and only after Najam Sethi has taken over. No offence meant. Salams Congratulations Pakistan. The first ODI between the two South Asian giants was a thrilling encounter. Kudos to Sennanayake and Prasanna for their glorious partnership. Salams
Even though we won and its good but our fast bowling attack proved to be a big failure especially Sohail Tanveer who time after time proves that he doesn't belong in national squad yet his face appears every time. Nepotism at its worst
@Fawad: But that's me who bowled the 49th over, after bhatti went for runs in the 48th. And it was me who got the dangerous Senanayake at the critical juncture in that over otherwise Pakistan could have lost it. Regarding being expensive, I guess you have not watched the match, and just commenting on the basis of score card, otherwise you could have seen the mis-fielded boundaries. On top of it, it was a batting surface. . So criticize, but be fair :-)
congrats Pakistan but be ware no score is safe against daring Sirilankan , our lethal weapons stop working at the nick of the time , young guns showed their worth no doubt. professor u did very well but let me give a bit good advise 'don't play with the future of the young talent , sohaib was batting excellently' . a'way its victory to cherish
Congratulations!!!
@ET: seems you have no proofreading system as the following portion of news heading does not make any sense:
"Pakistan first win ODI by 11 run"
Congratulation to green shirts. A splendid batting performance by just about every batsman.For a change, captain changed the batting line very well rather than carved in stone usual order. Well deserved man of the match award to Hafeez. Afridi did his job well. Some soul searching is also in order regarding pace attack. Boy were they hit at will by Srilankans, Did we discard Wahab Riaz and orhers too quick without getting ,in coming gang ready for prime time? Our ace with the hip fracture will be out for 6 months at least. Is umar gul ready ? I am sure national selectors are busy looking at alternatives. Again, great job boys, keep it up . Let,s do it again on Sunday and Friday May be sweep it.
It was a batting pitch, there may have been a lot of dew (didn't see anyone using a towel though) but Pakistan should have wrapped the game up after they got Perera. If the top 7 can be denied the chance to play freely, number 8 and 9 could have been put away, Or at least not allowed to (almost) run away with it. It looked a typical case of Pakistan team growing complacent after a few wickets had fallen; it was evident from the behaviour of players during the lbw decision reviewed in Afridi's over. Quite school boy-ish in the latter part of the second innings.
Great way to start the series with a win no matter how it comes. Posting a 322 target will put the opposing team under pressure any day! Sri Lanka did good to make a game out of it. In the end Pakistanis kept their cool to win the match. Good going Pakistan! Go win the series now!
Abdul Quddus DET- United States Central Command
Sohail tanveer had a expensive over. Junaid khan did only 5.4 overs and Tanveer needs to go out as he would have loss this match due to his poor bowling for 10 overs.
What kind of pitch is that? Shining like a glass.