Mohammad Hafeez (L) and Sharjeel Khan (C) of Pakistan salute each other. PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by two wickets with two balls to spare in the second one day international, levelling the five-match series in the Emirates 1-1.
The islanders, chasing a target of 284 under the lights, got off to a good start until the ninth over when opening batsman Perera was run out.
Pakistan bowlers pulled back the run-rate but the partnership between Kumar Sangakkara (58) and Dinesh Chandimal (44) set up the momentum for Sri Lanka. Towards the end, Angelo Mathews (47) and Kulasekara’s (32) late onslaught added up to a nail-biting finish for SL.
Earlier, opener Ahmed Shehzad hit a brilliant century to guide Pakistan to 284-4. The 24-year-old right-hander smashed 124 off 140 balls for his fourth one-day century as Pakistan used the favourable conditions at Dubai stadium to their advantage after being sent in to bat. Shehzad added 76 for the second wicket with Mohammad Hafeez (32) after Pakistan lost Sharjeel Khan for just seven in the second over, leg-before to paceman Lasith Malinga.
Shehzad then added another 105 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (59 not out) but was trapped leg-before by Nuwan Kulasekara in the 46th over. Sri Lanka has now levelled the five-match series 1-1.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2013.
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I would not classify Misbah's 59 from 62 balls as particularly slow. Hafeez was slow, I agree which was a bit surprising as he had scored a century in the previous match.
Problem is slow scoring by Misbah and Hafeez............
Problem is slow scoring by Misbah and Hafeez.