Summary Pakistan lost the match by 77 runs as Fawad Alam also fell after scoring 30 runs off 40 balls
HAMBANTOTA: (Dunya News) –Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan in the 2nd One Day International (ODI). Sri Lanka scored 310 runs batting first in the game after losing a few quick wickets early on. However, Mathews (93) and Jayawardene (67) stabilized the innings and later Perera took the score to 310 with his quick 65 off just 36 balls.
Pakistan was given a target of 311 runs. Losing Sharjeel Khan’s (9) wicket early in the innings, Team Pakistan stabilized as Mohammad Hafeez scored a brilliant 62 off just 49 balls. Ahmad Shahzad also batted well for his 56 (80) but none of the batsmen was able to impress later on. Entire team got out for 233 allowing Sri Lanka to square the series.
Last match of the 3-ODI series will be played on Saturday, August 30.
Pakistan was under severe pressure as 7 wickets had already fallen and national team still needs 88 runs off the last 57 balls. Though Fawad Alam is still at the crease having scored 27 runs off 34 balls along with Wahab Riaz yet with an ever increasing required run rate, which is currently 9.62, it seems extremely difficult for the team to surmount the mountain of 311 runs.
Earlier, Umar Akmal scored only 1 run off 3 balls while Mohammad Hafeez departed after scoring 62 runs. Hmed Shahzad scored 56 off 80 balls.
While Misbahul Haq (Skipper) tried hard along with Fawad Alam but he also fell after scoring 36 runs off 51 balls.
Shahid Afridi disappointed yet again as he sliced an outside the off stump after scoring 17 runs off 10 balls.
Pakistan team was looking great in its 311 runs chase as Mohammad Hafeez had scored a quick-fire half century off just 28 balls. Ahmad Shahbzad also looked steady with his 31 off 40 balls.
Pakistan lost its first wicket early in the innings as sharjeel Khan fell to Lasith Malinga for just 9 runs, leaving Pakistan in a difficult situation of 18 for 1. However, Mohammad Hafeez was off the marck with a boundary on the first ball of his innings and hasn’t looked back ever since.
Pakistan is 107-1 now after 16 overs and requires another 204 runs off 34 overs.
Earlier, Sri Lanka scored 310 runs with the help of some brilliant hitting by Thisara Perera who scored 65 runs off just 36 balls.
Thisara Perera has just struck a brilliant 65 runs to put a mammoth target of 311 runs for Pakistan to chase. Angelo Mathews played an excellent innings off 93 runs to stabilize Sri Lankan innings and Perera improvised later on allowing Sri Lanka to cross teh 300 runs threshold. Sri Lanka scored 101 runs off the last 10 overs to reach teh total of 310 runs.
Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez got 4th wicket for Pakistan in the form of Jayawardene as Sri Lanka were 184 for the loss of 4 wickets. It is a golden chance for Pakistan to get back into the 2nd One-Day International (ODI). Sri Lanka looked to score huge at that time but the breakthrough allowed Pakistan to give Lankan advance a check. 2 more wickets fell and Pakistan was back on top. However, Mathews and Perera changed the face of the game completely in the last 10 overs of the match.
Earlier, Sri Lanka lost 2 quick wickets to Wahab Riaz to find themselves lingering at 62 for 3 in 10.2 overs. However, Pakistani bowlers were unable to capitalize on the breakthrough as Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews did not let the run rate to fall and stabilized Sri Lankan innings.
After 31.3 overs Sri Lanka are 171 for the loss of 3 wickets. Jayawardene is still batting at 66 runs off 71 balls while veteran Sri Lankan batsman Angelo Mathews is batting at 42 off 5 balls.
Pakistani spin attack still looks mediocre in the absence of star off-spinner Saeed Ajmal who is in Australia currently for a bowling action test. Shahid Afridi has given away 40 runs off his 7.2 overs while Mohammad Hafeez has conceded 32 runs off his 7 overs. Both the spinners are yet to take a wicket.
Earlier, Tharanga (27) and Dilshan (13) gave a quick start to Sri Lanka. Junaid Khan struck early in the innings to take Dilshan’s wicket and later when Sri Lanka was looking to stabilize, Wahab Riaz got both Tharanga and Sangakara within his first 8 balls of the match.
Since then, Jayawardene and Mathews have been scoring runs fluently and Sri Lanka look good to put up a good total at the board.
