Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed an unbeaten 75 as Sri Lanka posted 150-4 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal combined for a 110-run opening stand to the 15th over, the first century partnership in a tournament dominated by bowlers.
Chandimal hit a career best 58.
Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan, in taking 2-18, helped Pakistan to slow down the scoring rate from nearly eight an over to about 6 1/2. He was aided by offspinner Shoaib Malik (1-3), and fast bowler Wahab Riaz (1-30).
Both teams are already out of contention for making the final on Sunday.
Squads:
Pakistan
Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed†, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi*, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Nawaz (3)
Sri Lanka
LD Chandimal*, TM Dilshan, DSNFG Jayasuriya, N Dickwella†, CK Kapugedera, TAM Siriwardana, MD Shanaka, NLTC Perera, KMDN Kulasekara, HMRKB Herath, PVD Chameera
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets
PAK 151/4
Over 19.2 (1 run)
S Malik 13* (17) | I Ahmed* 0* (0)
19.2: Perera to Malik, 1 run. That could have been caught too, but dropped. Pakistan win!
19.1: Perera to Malik, no run
Perera to bowl the final over. Pakistan need one more run to win.
PAK 150/4
Over 19 (9 runs, 1 wicket)
S Malik* 12* (15)
18.6: Nuwan to Akmal, OUT! Perera takes a stunner on the boundary. Akmal departs on 48.
18.5: Nuwan to Akmal, SIX! What a shot! Akmal smacks it over long on!
18.4: Nuwan to Malik, 1 run
18.3: Nuwan to Akmal, 1 run
18.2: Nuwan to Akmal, no run
18.1: Nuwan to Malik, 1 run
Nuwan comes in to bowl his final over.
PAK 141/3
Over 18 (12 runs)
U Akmal 41* (33) | S Malik* 10* (13)
17.6: Chameera to Akmal, no run
17.5: Chameera to Akmal, FOUR! Full toss, charged!
17.4: Chameera to Akmal, 2 runs
17.3: Chameera to Akmal, no run
17.2: Chameera to Akmal, FOUR! (bye) Awkward bounce and the ball races away towards the third man fence.
17.2: Chameera to Akmal, (wide)
17.1: Chameera to Malik, 1 run
Chameera continues.
PAK 129/3
Over 17 (8 runs)
U Akmal 35* (28) | S Malik* 9* (12)
16.6: Nuwan to Akmal, no run
16.5: Nuwan to Malik, 1 run
16.4: Nuwan to Akmal, 1 run
16.3: Nuwan to Malik, 1 run
16.2: Nuwan to Akmal, 1 run
16.1: Nuwan to Akmal, FOUR! Drives it inside out over the covers.
Nuwan returns.
PAK 121/3
Over 16 (2 runs)
S Malik 7* (10) | U Akmal* 29* (24)
15.6: Chameera to Malik, no run
15.5: Chameera to Malik, no run
15.4: Chameera to Akmal, 1 run
15.3: Chameera to Malik, 1 run
15.2: Chameera to Malik, no run
15.1: Chameera to Malik, no run
Chameera returns.
PAK 119/3
Over 15 (19 runs)
U Akmal 28* (23) | S Malik* 6* (5)
14.6: Siriwardana to Akmal, FOUR! Through the covers. Beautiful timing!
14.5: Siriwardana to Akmal, no run
14.4: Siriwardana, to Akmal, FOUR! Similar delivery, same shot, same direction, but one bounce into the fence.
14.3: Siriwardana to Akmal, SIX! Short, picks up well, and smacks it on the leg side!
14.2: Siriwardana to Akmal, 2 runs
14.1: Siriwardana to Malik, 3 runs
Siriwardana into the attack.
PAK 100/3
Over 14 (6 runs)
S Malik* 3* (4) | U Akmal 12* (18)
13.6: Herath to Malik, 1 run. 100 comes up for Pakistan.
13.5: Herath to Akmal, 1 run
13.4: Herath to Malik, 1 run
13.3: Herath to Akmal, 1 run
13.2: Herath to Malik, 1 run
13.1: Herath to Akmal, 1 run
Herath into the attack.
PAK 94/3
Over 12 (1 run, 1 wicket)
12.6: Siriwardana loops it in the air and Malik almost gets the outside edge, no run
12.5: OUT! And Sarfraz succumbs to the pressure of the three dot balls and his attempted sweep meets thin air. Siriwardana, the man with the golden arm, trapped him right in front
12.4: Akmal finally manages to pick up a single
12.3: No run
12.2: No run
12.1: Siriwardana keeps it tight, no run
PAK 93/2
Over 12 (12 runs)
S Ahmed 38* (26) | Umar Akmal 8* (11)
11.6: FOUR! Short and wide and that deserved the treatment! Sarfraz comfortably hits this over point’s head
11.5: Akmal stands talls but the ball keeps low and he adjusts to pick up a single through mid wicket
11.4: One run
11.3: FOUR! Beaut! Perera is fully and wide and Sarfraz uses the deft touch to hit through gully
11.2: Struck beautifully by Akmal through the covers, but just a single
11.1: Perera to Sarfraz, pulled for a single
PAK 81/2
Over 11 (11 runs)
S Ahmed 28* (22) | Umar Akmal 6* (9)
10.6: Sarfraz steals another single, almost a run out!
10.5: One run
10.4: Akmal picks off another single through mid on
10.3: One run, beaten by the change in pace there
10.2: FOUR! Another one! This one’s played ala Steve Smith to the deep long on boundary
10.1: FOUR! Sarfraz charges Herath and drives on the up through the covers. That was a shot of a confident man!
PAK 70/2
Over 10 (6 runs)
9.6: Sarfraz hits it through his favourite gully region again, one run
9.5: This ones hit through the covers, 2 runs
9.4: Sarfraz is beaten for pace, almost an edge, no run
9.3: Akmal drives powerfully but straight to the sweeper, one run
9.2: Sarfraz guides past point for another single
9.1: Akmal guides it to third man for a single, Chameera is pretty quick today
PAK 64/2
Over 9 (3 runs)
8.6: Loud appeal but he’s clearly hit it, no run
8.5: Akmal uses his feet to pick off another single towards mid on
8.4 No, great length and pin point accuracy
8.3 Sarfraz sweeps and manages to get bit of bat and the ball rolls behind the keeper, one run
8.2: Akmal taps it to mid on and picks up a single
8.1: Pakistan tormentor, Herath, keeps it tight, no run
PAK 61/2
Over 8 (3 runs, 1 wicket)
U Akmal* 1* (2) | S Ahmed 13* (11)
7.6: Dilshan to Akmal, 1 run
7.5: Dilshan to Sarfraz, 1 run
7.4: Dilshan to Sarfraz, no run
7.3: Dilshan to Sarfraz, no run
7.2: Dilshan to Akmal, 1 run
7.1: Dilshan to Sharjeel, OUT! Slower delivery and Sharjeel couldn’t read it. Kapugedera takes a clean catch. Departs on 31.
Dilshan into the attack.
PAK 58/1
Over 7 (8 runs)
S Khan* 31* (23) | S Ahmed 12* (8)
6.6: Herath to Sharjeel, 1 run
6.5: Herath to Sarfraz, 1 run
6.4: Herath to Sharjeel, 1 run
6.3: Herath to Sharjeel, FOUR! Picks up the length early and smacks it on the leg side.
6.2: Herath to Sarfraz, 1 run
6.1: Herath to Sarfraz, no run
Herath into the attack.
PAK 50/1
Over 6 (16 runs)
S Khan 25* (20) | S Ahmed* 10* (5)
5.6: Chameera to Sharjeel, FOUR! Hits it hard into the gap on the off side. Also brings up 50 for Pakistan!
5.5: Chameera to Sharjeel, FOUR! Smacks it again towards deep long on. Clears the in-field!
5.4: Chameera to Sharjeel, FOUR! Smacks it towards square leg. Misfield there, it should have been stopped.
5.3: Chameera to Sharjeel, FOUR! Lofts it over long on.
5.2: Chameera to Sharjeel, no run
5.1: Chameera to Sharjeel, no run
Chameera into the attack.
PAK 34/1
Over 5 (6 runs)
S Ahmed 10* (5) | S Khan* 9* (14)
4.6: Shanaka to Sarfraz, no run
4.5: Shanaka to Sharjeel, 1 run
4.4: Shanaka to Sharjeel, no run
4.3: Shanaka to Sharjeel, no run
4.2: Shanaka to Sarfraz, 1 run
4.1: Shanaka to Sarfraz, FOUR! On the up, with not much feet movement, hits it through covers.
Shanaka into the attack.
Hafeez is a much better player when he stays steady at the crease, he tried too much off the Jayasuriya delivery and found himself in no man’s land.
Ian Chappell’s famous words: ‘Stay still and let the bowler do the thinking’.
All this shuffling and dancing the down wicket is already giving the bowler half a chance. So why risk it?
PAK 28/1
Over 4 (13 runs, 1 wicket)
S Khan 8* (11) | S Ahmed* 5* (2)
3.6: Jayasuria to Sharjeel, no run
3.5: Jayasuria to Sarfraz, 1 run
3.4: Jayasuria to Sarfraz, FOUR! He cuts it on the off side and into the gap.
3.3: Jayasuria to Hafeez, OUT! Down the track and couldn’t hit it properly. Soft dismissal! He departs on 14.
3.2: Jayasuria to Hafeez, FOUR! Sweeps it on the leg side.
3.1: Jayasuria to Hafeez, FOUR! Smashes it past point.
Jayasuria into the attack.
PAK 15/0
Over 3 (1 run)
S Khan 8* (10) | M Hafeez* 6* (8)
2.6: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
2.5: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
2.4: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
2.3: Nuwan to Hafeez, 1 run
2.2: Nuwan to Hafeez, no run
2.1: Nuwan to Hafeez, no run
Nuwan continues.
PAK 14/0
Over 2 (12 runs)
S Khan 8* (7) | M Hafeez* 5* (5)
1.6: Perera to Sharjeel, SIX! Flicks it over square leg.
1.5: Perera to Hafeez, 1 run
1.4: Perera to Hafeez, no run
1.3: Perera to Hafeez, no run
1.2: Perera to Hafeez, no run
1.2: Perera to Hafeez, (wide)
1.1: Perera to Hafeez, FOUR! On the up through point.
Perera into the attack.
The Bangladesh fans in the stands clearly behind Pakistan in this dead rubber. All the talk of neutrality and anti-Pakistan sentiment is clearly misguided it seems.
PAK 2/0
Over 1 (2 runs)
S Khan 2* (6) | M Hafeez* 0* (0)
0.6: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
0.5: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
0.4: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
0.3: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
0.2: Nuwan to Sharjeel, 2 runs
0.1: Nuwan to Sharjeel, no run
Mohammad Hafeez and Sharjeel Khan are out on the crease to open Pakistan innings. For Sri Lanka, Nuwan Kulasekara takes the new ball.
