All-round Hafeez seals six-wicket win

by Ranjan Anandappa

Pakistan go one up in the five-match ODI series when they beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in a day game at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium yesterday.

Hafeez who missed the third Test against Sri Lanka as he had to rectify his bowling action in Australia, returned to capture four or 41 and hammer 103 to give his side a vital start to the Haier Cup Series.

Hafeez and Shoaib combined together to turn the flow of the game in their favour when they were two for 65, as the Sri Lankan attack lacked fire, venom and guile.

The fourth wicket pair blossomed to add 75 runs in 10.3 overs.

Hafeez faced 95 deliveries and struck 10 fours and four sixes while Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten 55 was compiled in 45 deliveries, which contained four boundaries and two sixes.

Mohammed Hafeez after a quiet start suddenly burst into brilliance hitting Seekkuge Prasanna for two sixes in one over.

The Lankan spinners failed to impress. Prasanna’s nine overs cost 72 runs.

Shoaib Malik (55 not out) and Mohammed Rizwan (20 not out) added a further 61 in 9.3 overs to seal the win for Pakistan.

The match was played under ICC new conditions which has no power play, no compulsory close-in fielders in the first ten overs, and allowing five fielders outside the ring instead of four in the final overs. The second ODI will be played on Wednesday at Pallekele as a day-night game.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka:
K. Perera c Rizwan b Hafeez			26
T. Dilshan b Hafeez				38
L. Thirimanne c Sarfraz b Anwar			23
U. Tharanga st Sarfraz b Hafeez			20
A. Mathews c Azam b Yasir			38
D. Chandimal not out				65
T. Perera c Rizwan b Hafeez			01
M. Siriwardana c Rizwan b Rahat			22
S. Prasanna c Hafeez b Rahat			00
L. Malinga not out				04
Extras: (b4, lb7, w6, nb1)			18
Total (for eight wickets, 50 overs)	       255 

Fall of wickets: 1-44 (K. Perera), 2-82 (Thirimanne)
		 3-111 (Tharanga), 4-118 (Dilshan)
		 5-200 (Mathews), 6-204 (T. Perera)
		 7-244 (Siriwardana), 8-245 (Prasanna)

Bowling: Irfan 10-0-41-0 (nb1, w1)
	 Rahat 8-0-44-2 (w1)
	 Anwar 7-0-38-1
	 Hafeez 10-1-41-4 (w1)
	 Yasir 10-0-46-1
	 Malik 5-0-34-0 (w3)

Pakistan:
Azhar Ali c Chandimal b Mathews			21
Ahmed Shehzad c Chandimal b Lakmal		29
Mohammad Hafeez c and b T. Perera	       103
Babar Azam lbw b Dilshan			25
Shoaib Malik not out				55
Mohammad Rizwan not out				20
Extras: (lb1, w5)				06   
Total (for four wickets, 45.2 overs)	       259

Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Azhar), 2-65 (Shehzad), 3-123 (Azam)
		 4-198 (Hafeez)
Bowling: Malinga 8-0-56-0 (w5)
	 Lakmal 5-1-21-1
	 T. Perera 8-0-32-1
	 Mathews 5-0-22-1
	 Prasanna 9-0-72-0
	 Dilshan 8.2-0-45-1
	 Siriwardana 2-0-10-0