Thisara magic gives Sri Lanka victory

By Dilanka MANNAKKARA

The Pakistan side who were cruising to victory with eight wickets in hand with just 78 runs needed in 75 balls inside a batting powerplay collapsed unbelievably and shockingly as Sri Lanka’s” impact man” Thisara Perera took a brilliant hatrick as well as did an air borne direct hit to end up with four wickets all in one over.

It all started with Nuwan Kulasekara taking a sharp catch at Mid On off skipper Misbah Ul Haq who perished for a well made 57.

Lasith “slinga” Malinga who took Misbah’s wicket was all fired up as he peppered next man Umer Akmal with a session of sweet chin music. Then the over of the game came as the man with the golden arm Thisara Perera bowled a magnificent over where a combination of ridiculous shots and good tight bowling earned him his hatrick. Thisara Perera made a huge breakthrough by claiming the wicket of Younis Khan for one caught by Sangakkara trying to glide the ball down to third man.

In the very next ball Boom Boom Afridi pushed the ball to short cover for Chandimal to take almost a practice catch.Thisara completed his hatrick as new man Safraz Ahmed tried to glide the ball and Mahela Jayawardena at slip took a fine catch.The over was a quadruple wicket maiden as Thisara ran out Sohail Tanvir for a duck.Thus Thisara became the fourth Lankan player to take a hatrick after Chaminda Vaas,Lasith Malinga and Farveez Maharoof. Interestingly Pakistan’s innings had six ducks and the manner in which their batsmen threw away their wickets was quite stunning.

Thisara rightfully took the last wicket as he had Saeed Ajmal caught by Lahiru Thirimanne.Azhar Ali was stranded on a painful knock of 81 of 126 balls.

Sri Lanka ended up with a modest score of 243 for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 50 overs after skipper Mahela Jayawardena won the toss and opted to bat first on a wicket that was good for batting.The match which was briefly stopped due to a light shower and was a keen tussle between bat and ball as the Pakistan bowlers were on song for a major part of the innings until Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena started the rampage after a lackluster and quite a slow start.Sangakkara who struggled early on to get bat to ball and to pinch the gaps to get vital singles made up to his dot balls by going big in the last 15 overs.

Pakistan had to pay a heavy price as Umar Gul dropped a dolly catch of Shahid Afridi at Long on when Sangakkara was on 35.

Sangakkara anchored the innings with a solid 97 and was out for yet another half hearted pull shot off a poor ball of Saeed Ajmal which was caught brilliantly by Azhar Ali at Long on.Sangakkara’s innings came of 130 balls with 7 fours and three late sixes.

The three sixes were a treat to watch as Sangakkara pulled one of a brutal bouncer and another one came of a stunning cut shot over Long off.Sangakkara along with skipper Mahela Jayawardena shared a stroke filled 110 run partnership before Mahela was clean bowled by Sohail Tanvir for a well made 40. Mohammed Hafeez ended up with miserly figures of two wickets for just 37 runs of his 10 overs.

Sri Lanka who opened their innings with Upul Tharanga and Tilakaratne Dilshan got off to a poor start as Tharanga was once again dismissed in the usual fashion by edging Umar Gul to second slip for just four runs.

Dilshan had no clue against the pace bowling as he couldn’t get those booming drives of his bat and he played and missed a number of times.

Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan did add 53 for the second wicket, but they were hard-earned runs, and Dilshan's departure immediately after drinks meant Sri Lanka had to continue with their cautious approachPakistan's discipline was reflected in the measly three boundaries that Sri Lanka managed in the first Powerplay of 10 overs.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA
U. Tharanga c Younis b Gul			04
T. Dilshan lbw b Hafeez				24
K. Sangakkara c Azhar b Ajmal			97
D. Chandimal b Hafeez				18
M. Jayawardene b Tanvir				40
T. Perera c Akmal b Ajmal			08
A. Mathews not out				10
L. Thirimanne run out				13
N. Kulasekara b Tanvir				03
L. Malinga not out				00
Extras (b5, lb10, w11)				26
Total (for eight wickets; 50 overs)	       243

Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Tharanga), 2-64 (Dilshan)
		 3-90 (Chandimal), 4-200 (Jayawardene)
		 5-204 (Sangakkara), 6-214 (Perera)
		 7-237 (Thirimanne), 8-243 (Kulasekara)
Bowling: Gul 8-1-51-1 (w3)
	 Tanvir 10-2-43-2 (w3)
	 Afridi 10-0-36-0 (w1)
	 Younis 2-0-11-0 (w3)
	 Ajmal 10-1-50-2 (w1)
	 Hafeez 10-0-37-2.

PAKISTAN
Mohammad Hafeez c Kulasekara b Malinga		00
Azhar  Ali not out 				81
Asad Shafig lbw b Weerakoon			25
Misbah-ul-Haq c Kulasekara b Malinga		57
Umar Akmal c Sangakkara b Kulasekara		00
Younis Khan c Sangakkara b Perera		01
Sahahid Afridi c Chandimal b Perera		00
Sarfraz Ahmed c Jayawardene b Perera		00
Sohail Tanvir runout				00
Umar Gul c  Sangakkara b Mathews		00
Saeed Admal  cThirimanne b Perera		12
Extras (1b9, w14)				23
Total (for all out 45 overs)		       199

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Hafeez), 2-53 (Sghafiq), 3-166 (Misb ah)
		 4-169 (Akmal), 5-176 (Younis), 6-176 (Afridi)
		 7-176 (Ahmed), 8-176 (Tanvir), 9-179 (Gul)
		 1-199 (Ajmal)
Bowling: Malinga 7-0-30-2 (w2)
	 Jykasejara 9-0-36-1 (w5)
	 Mathews 9-0-33-1 (w2)
	 Weerakoon 10-09-49-1 (w4)
	 Perera 10-1-42-4 (1)