New-look Pakistan whip Lankans

SHARJAH: Yousuf Youhana and Younis Khan rattled up a superb fourth-wicket stand of 124 runs yesterday to steer Pakistan to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the Sharjah Cup cricket tournament.

Pakistan made 225 for three, overhauling Sri Lanka’s 223 for six with 2.4 overs to spare. The win saw the Pakistanis, who defeated Zimbabwe by 68 runs in Thursday’s opening match, virtually through to the final of this four-nation US$105,000 tournament. The new-look Pakistan team, formed after a poor World Cup, was helped by a dropped catch by Jehan Mubarak off skipper Sanath Jayasuriya when Youhana was only 10 with the score at 113 for three. Vice-captain Youhana made the Lankans pay for their miss, striking seven crisp boundaries in his run-a-ball 64 not out. Team-mate Khan smashed an unbeaten 57 with four boundaries, and hoisted spinner Kumar Dharmasena for a six to end the match.

Sri Lanka, semi-finalists at the recent World Cup, missed the services of their injured top paceman Chaminda Vaas. Earlier when batting, Kumar Sangakarra hit his first One-Day International century — not out, no less — against a tight-fielding Pakistani side. Sangakarra’s performance later earned him the “Man of the Match” award. Pakistan’s pace attack of Muhammad Sami and Umer Gul had Sri Lanka shaky early, getting openers Marvan Atapattu and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya out with only 44 runs on the board. Their tight fielding and bowling restricted Sri Lanka to 89 in the first 25 overs. Sri Lanka’s star batsman Jayasuriya was also deprived a chance to cross 9,000 runs in One-Day International cricket, when he was caught seven runs short at 27. Jayasuriya, at 8,993 after 298 One-Day Internationals, skied a catch to Muhammad Hafeez off the bowling of Sami.

Sangakkara, who came in at the fall of Jayasuriya’s wicket, then proceeded to bolster the Sri Lankan innings, spicing his innings with nine boundaries. He struck 100 off 111 balls. It was Sangakkara’s first century in 86 One-Day International matches. He remained unbeaten along with teammate Kumar Dharmasena, who pitched in with 23 runs. They set a 57-run partnership to the end. Debutant Rana Naveedul Hasan was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers. He gave the Sri Lankan batsmen some tense moments when he took the wickets of Hashan Tillekeratne and debutante Prasanna Jayewardene in consecutive balls in the 41st. Sami was the most economical with a wicket for 36 runs off his spell, which consisted of two maiden overs. Today, surprise World Cup semi-finalists Kenya open their campaign against fellow Africans, Zimbabwe.