Half-centuries from Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan and a three-wicket haul from Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 33 runs
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran17-Sep-2007
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Shoaib Malik put on a 101-run stand off 55 balls with Younis Khan after Pakistan were in trouble at 33 for 3 © Getty Images
Magnificent half-centuries from Shoaib Malik, the captain, and Younis Khanpropelled Pakistan to a formidable total and a miserly three-wicket spellfrom Shahid Afridi then choked the life out of the Sri Lankan chase asthey romped to a facile 33-run victory at the Wanderers. Sri Lanka hadstarted superbly, with Dilhara Fernando producing an impeccable spell of 2for 17, but their subsequent nightmare was best summed up by the plight ofthe legendary Sanath Jayasuriya, pummelled for 64 in his four overs andthen knocked over for just five.Malik and Younis added 101 at a tremendous clip after Pakistan werestruggling at 33 for 3. Once again, they gotno sort of start, with Salman Butt and Imran Nazir failing to make animpression yet again. Nazir pulled Fernando for a six behind square, butwas utterly clueless about a slower ball from Chaminda Vaas that he gentlybunted to cover.Butt got another start, but was cleaned up by a tremendous delivery fromFernando that was timed at 144.5 km/hr. And after Mohammad Hafeez had comein and clipped Vaas for two fours, Fernando delivered another scorcher, ayorker that crashed into leg stump at searing pace.But with Vaas bowling out and Fernando taken out of the attack after threesuperb overs, the pressure eased. Younis got going with a pull for fouroff Lasith Malinga, and Malik greeted Jayasuriya’s entrance with a hugeswipe that just cleared the man at long-on. Even then, Pakistan hadreached just 69 at the halfway stage, scarcely the sort of total thatwould have given Mahela Jayawardene too many headaches.It started to unravel for the Lankans after that though, with GayanWijekoon and Jayasuriya repeatedly lofted through or over midwicket as therun-rate mounted alarmingly. Younis struck a couple of meaty sixes overmidwicket on his way to a 32-ball 50, and Malik followed suit in just 27deliveries courtesy some scorching strokes down the ground and through theleg side.Both men departed lofting Malinga into the deep, but there was still timefor a 17-run cameo from Afridi, and a crisp contribution fromMisbah-ul-Haq, who followed up his splendid knock against India will twomighty sixes in Jayasuriya’s final over.Sri Lanka’s pursuit of 190 started in disastrous fashion, with UpulTharanga top-edging Mohammad Asif to third man before he’d opened hisaccount, and there was further drama in the opening over when a Jayasuriyamiscue was dropped by Sohail Tanvir at short fine leg.Tanvir redeemed himself in the best possible fashion though, yorkingJaysuriya with his very first delivery. That left Kumar Sangakkara andJayawardene to rebuild the innings, and Sangakkara set about it with amagnificent six over backward point off Asif. His defiance didn’t lastthough, and an unfortunate dismissal – bowled off the arm while going forthe pull – really appeared to have put the skids on Sri Lanka.
Not much went right for Sanath Jayasuriya as he was cleaned up for 5 after giving away 64 off his four overs earlier © AFP
But after Jayawardene clipped Tanvir for a beautiful six over square leg,Chamara Silva concentrated his energy on Asif’s final over. A pull and acut started it, and when Asif bowled a no-ball, the free hit was hookedfor six over fine leg. With Shoaib Malik watching frustrated, Asif wasrather harshly called for another no-ball. This time, Jayawardene edgedthe free hit for four as 22 came from the over.Chamara Silva greeted Mohammad Hafeez with a sweep for four, but it wassoon apparent that the slow bowlers would be Pakistan’s trump card. BothHafeez and Shahid Afridi gave next to nothing away, and the pressurefinally told when Jayawardene mowed an Afridi delivery to Umar Gul at deepmidwicket. He had made 28, adding 53 with Silva.Silva was the last hope, but after heaving and then deftly cutting Afridifor two fours to move to 38, he was flummoxed by a full delivery thatcrashed into the stumps. Jehan Mubarak and Gayan Wijekoon both failed totrouble the scorers, and the Pakistani tactic of saving Gul for the endwas amply justified as the match was efficiently closed out.Tillakaratne Dilshan took three sixes from the penultimate over bowled byHafeez, but that was of no more than nuisance value after an emphaticstatement of intent from Malik’s men. For Sri Lanka, it was a rude wake-upcall, and they will now most likely have to beat Australia to make thelast four.