… Afridi smashes 109 from 76 balls; five for 34 from Malinga
HALF-CENTURIES from Angelo Mathews and Mahela Jayawardene, followed by figures of five for 34 from paceman Lasith Malinga, helped Sri Lanka to a 16-run victory over Pakistan in the first one-day international of the Asia Cup at Dambulla. Having set their opponents a target of 243 for the win, Sri Lanka produced a brilliant bowling performance, only marred by a valiant century from Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, to secure a good first step in their quest to defend their title.
Afridi crashed seven sixes and eight fours in his 109 from 76 balls but once he fell in the 41st over, Pakistan’s challenge faded away.
Malinga struck early to remove Salman Butt and Umar Amin before Mathews claimed the scalps of Shoaib Malik and Shahzaib Hasan.
With Pakistan reeling at 32 for four, Afridi began the comeback in earnest, smashing Farveez Maharoof for consecutive sixes, but a 73-run partnership was broken when Umar Akmal was run-out by a direct hit.
Afridi fell to a great reflex catch from Kumar Sangakkara off Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling and it did not take long for the remainder of the Pakistani tail to crumble – Mohammed Aamer, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif became Malinga’s third, fourth and fifth victims of the night respectively.
Earlier, well-disciplined bowling from Shoaib, Asif and veteran Abdul Razzaq kept the run rate subdued, but the duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene kept the hosts within sight of a competitive total.
The Sri Lankan skipper was denied his 56th one-day half-century. Just two overs later, Afridi was caught at short midwicket for 42 – ending an 83-run partnership.
At the other end, Jayawardene kept the scoreboard ticking and reached his seventh half-century against this opposition but after adding just four more runs to his tally, the right-hander was cruelly given out lbw when attempting to reverse-sweep against spinner Shoaib Malik, with replays showing the ball had taken a nick off the bat before hitting his pads.
Mathews injected some life into the Lions’ batting in the latter stages, smashing Mohammad Aamer for back-to-back boundaries in the 41st over, to set the tone for his fifth one-day half-century.