Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka 2009

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Fixtures

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Pakistan win toss and bat against SL in final ODI

COLOMBO: Pakistan captain Younis Khan has won the toss and decided to bat first against Sri Lanka in the fifth and the final One-day International here on Sunday.

There is no change in the Pakistan team while Sri Lanka brought while Sri Lanka have made three changes. Jayasuriya, Dammika Prasad and Nuwan Kulasekara are in. Samaraweera, Thushara and Malinga have been rested.

Teams:
Sri Lanka: WU Tharanga, ST Jayasuriya, KC Sangakkara (captain wk), DPMD Jayawardene, CK Kapugedera, SHT Kandamby, AD Mathews, KTGD Prasad, KMDN Kulasekara, CM Bandara, BAW Mendis

Pakistan: Kamran Akmal (wk), Imran Nazir, Younis Khan (captain), Mohammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Aamer, Iftikhar Anjum, Saeed Ajmal.

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Pakistan set SL 280-run target in final ODI

COLOMBO: Pakistan set Sri Lanka a winning target of 280 runs in the fifth and the final One-day International here on Sunday.

Winning the toss, Pakistan captain Younis Khan elected to bat and his team piled up 279 runs for eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs.

Younis top scored with 76 while vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq remained not out on 73. Other prominent scorers were Mohammad Yousuf (43), Imran Nazir (35) and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (33).

For Sri Lanka, Nuwan Kulasekara captured three wickets for 46 runs while Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis and Dammika Prasad claimed one wicket each.

Pakistan did not make any change in their side while Sri Lanka made three changes, bringing in Jayasuriya, Dammika Prasad and Nuwan Kulasekara in place of Samaraweera, Thushara and Malinga, who were given rest.

Teams:
Pakistan: Younus Khan (captain), Imran Nazir, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Naved ul Hasan, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah ul Haq, Iftikhar Anjum.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekara, Malinga Bandara, Dammika Prasad.

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Pakistan crush Sri Lanka by 132 runs

COLOMBO: Captain Younus Khan led the way as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 132 runs in the fifth and final one-day international here on Sunday.

Younus top-scored with 76 and Misbah-ul Haq hit an unbeaten 73 to steer Pakistan to 279-8 after they won the toss and elected to bat in the day-night match at the Premadasa stadium.

Teenage paceman Mohammad Aamer grabbed 4-28 and Rana Naved took 4-44 as Pakistan bowled out Sri Lanka for 147 in the 35th over to record their second successive win after Friday''s 146-run success.

Sri Lanka, however, clinched the one-day series 3-2, after winning the Test series 2-0. The rivals, who contested the World Twenty20 final in England in June when Pakistan won the title, will play a T20 international here Wednesday in the last match of the tour.

The half-centuries from Younus and Misbah helped Pakistan recover from the first-ball dismissal of Kamran Akmal, who was given out leg-before off Nuwan Kulasekara despite getting an edge on the bat.

Younus put on 69 for the third wicket with veteran Mohammad Yousuf (43) and 83 for the fourth, with Misbah before being bowled by seamer Dammika Prasad in the 37th over.

Misbah stepped in to keep the scoreboard moving after the captain''s dismissal, adding 60 for the seventh wicket with Rana Naved, to carry Pakistan past the 250-run mark.

Kulasekara was the most impressive bowler, with three for 46 from his 10 overs.

Sri Lanka''s reply began on the wrong foot when Upul Tharanga edged the third ball of the innings to Umar Akmal at second slip before a run had been scored.

Wickets tumbled regularly after that to reduce the hosts to 74-8, the only notable contribution in the top order coming from Mahela Jayawardene, who made 31 before being caught behind off Aamer.

Thilina Kandamby (42 not out) and Malinga Bandara (31) delayed the end by adding 71 for the eighth wicket, before Shahid Afridi claimed the last two wickets.

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Pak-Lanka one-off T20 today

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka are looking to avenge their World Twenty20 final defeat in the one-off T20 international against Pakistan in Colombo on Wednesday.

Pakistan triumphed in the global showpiece at Lord''s back in June although their joy has proved shortlived, following up the victory with some dismal displays in the Test and one-day legs of their Sri Lanka tour.

Sri Lanka won the Test series 2-0 and the one-dayers 3-2, and Kumar Sangakkara is aiming to complete a clean sweep in all three formats.

"There are several areas in which we need to improve, such as getting partnerships in the middle and getting off to a good start," said Sangakkara.

"The best thing about our team is that the guys learn.

"In the time before the World Cup we''ve got to keep the core solid and give as much opportunity as we can to new people so that they can settle and become part of the side."

Sri Lanka have named a 15-man squad for the match with in-form batsman Mahela Udawatte set to fill in for the injured Tillakaratne Dilshan as Sanath Jayasuriya''s opening partner.

Shahid Afridi starts his reign as Pakistan''s T20 captain with his side looking to end a difficult tour on a positive note.

Afridi has taken over as skipper in the shortest format after Younus Khan stepped down following the World T20 success.

"I will try to justify the expectations of PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, who has picked me as captain," said Afridi, who has no previous leadership experience.

"It does not matter that we lost the Test and one-day series.

"This is a fresh game and a new format and hopefully we can perform as well as we did in the final of the World Twenty20."

Afridi promised to be a hard-task master, adding: "My team-mates know my body language and those who deserve love and respect will be given their due.

"Others will be handled differently, but the end of the day I expect everyone to give their best for the team and the nation."

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Pakistan-Sri Lanka T20 Colombo match today

COLOMBO: Pakistan salvaged their reputation by winning the last two one-day matches and hope to carry the momentum into Wednesday’s clash in which they will be led by flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

Pakistan salvaged their reputation by winning the last two one-day matches and hope to carry the momentum into Wednesday’s clash in which they will be led by flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

Sri Lanka will have an early opportunity to avenge their defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the World Twenty20 final when the two teams clash in a T20 International here on Wednesday (today).

Younis Khan’s Pakistan stunned favourites Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final at Lord’s in June, but the joy was short-lived as Pakistan, touring Sri Lanka a week later, slumped to a 2-0 defeat in the Test series and lost the one-dayers 3-2 against Kumar Sangakkara’s rampant home team.

However, the win in last two matches could give a boost to Pakistan moral in this T20 match today. The team banking on Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal and Misbahul Huque for a big score, while Pakistani bowling attack seems balanced in the presence of debutant Muhammad Aamir and Rana Naveedul Hassan besides Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal.

Sri Lanka called up in-form opening batsman Mahela Udawatte to replace Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is still recovering from finger and eye injuries sustained during the third Test last month.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have thus far played five T20 matches of which Pakistan won three and Sri Lanka two. This is the first T20 being played between the two teams in Sri Lanka.

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Pakistan win toss, bat against SL in T20

COLOMBO: Sdhahid Afridi captaining Pakistan for the first time in any international match, won the toss and decided to bat first against Sri Lanka here at the Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.

Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik are back in the Pakistan side.

The tour is almost done and Sri Lanka and Pakistan sign off with a Twenty20 game in Colombo tonight.

The two teams last met in this format in the final of the ICC World Twenty20 when Pakistan emerged victorious.

Teams:
Pakistan: Kamran Akmal (wk), Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Aamer, Iftikhar Anjum, Saeed Ajmal.

Sri Lanka: ST Jayasuriya, ML Udawatte, KC Sangakkara (captain wk), DPMD Jayawardene, SHT Kandamby, CK Kapugedera, AD Mathews, T Thushara, KMDN Kulasekara, SL Malinga, M Muralitharan.

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Pakistan win toss, to bat against SL in T20

COLOMBO: Sdhahid Afridi captaining Pakistan for the first time in any international match, won the toss and decided to bat first against Sri Lanka here at the Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.

Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik are back in the Pakistan side.

The tour is almost done and Sri Lanka and Pakistan sign off with a Twenty20 game in Colombo tonight.

The two teams last met in this format in the final of the ICC World Twenty20 when Pakistan emerged victorious.

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Pakistan set SL 173-run target in T20

COLOMBO: Pakistan set a winning target of 173 runs for Sri Lanka in the only Twenty20 International here at the Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.

Winning the toss, Pakistan’s new captain Shahid Afridi elected to bat and hit himself s magnificent half-century to help his team reach 172-5 in the allotted 20 overs.

Afridi made 50 from 37 balls with four fours and two sixes. He was well supported by opener Imran Nazir (40 off 28 balls with five fours and a six) and Umar Akmal (30 off 20 balls with four fours).

For Sri Lanka, Thilan Thushara claimed two wickets for 37 while Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga and Ruwan Kulasekara took one wicket each.

The tour is almost done and Sri Lanka and Pakistan are playing their last fixture with a Twenty20 game in Colombo.

The two teams last met in this format in the final of the ICC World Twenty20 when Pakistan emerged victorious.

Teams:
Pakistan: Kamran Akmal (wk), Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Aamer, Iftikhar Anjum, Saeed Ajmal.

Sri Lanka: ST Jayasuriya, ML Udawatte, KC Sangakkara (captain wk), DPMD Jayawardene, SHT Kandamby, CK Kapugedera, AD Mathews, T Thushara, KMDN Kulasekara, SL Malinga, M Muralitharan.

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Pakistan win T20 against Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: World champions Pakistan convincingly won the only Twenty20 International by 52 runs against Sri Lanka here at the Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing 173 to win, Sri Lanka were all out for 120 runs in 18.1 overs.

Off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal and seamer Naved-ul-Hasan bagged three wickets each for 18 and 19 runs, respectively.

For Sri Lanka, their captain Kumar Sangakkara was the top-scorer with 38 while veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya made 23.

Only three other batsmen could enter into double figures.

Earlier, winning the toss Pakistan’s new captain Shahid Afridi elected to bat and hit himself s magnificent half-century to help his team reach 172-5 in the allotted 20 overs.

Afridi made 50 from 37 balls with four fours and two sixes. He was well supported by opener Imran Nazir (40 off 28 balls with five fours and a six) and Umar Akmal (30 off 20 balls with four fours).

For Sri Lanka, Thilan Thushara claimed two wickets for 37 while Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga and Ruwan Kulasekara took one wicket each.

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Ajmal fined for Sangakkara send-off

COLOMBO: Saeed Ajmal has been fined 15% of his match fee for giving Kumar Sangakkara a send-off after dismissing him in the one-off Twenty20 match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Ajmal was found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct following a hearing in Colombo after the game, and charged under Level 1.6 of the code, which refers to "pointing or gesturing towards the pavilion in an aggressive manner by a bowler or other members of the fielding side upon the dismissal of a batsman."

In the 14th over of the Sri Lankan innings, when Sri Lanka were 100 for 3, needing 73 off 42 balls, Ajmal got the key wicket of Sangakkara, and then pointed to the pavilion and spoke aggressively to the Sri Lankan captain.

The on-field umpires Asoka de Silva and Tyron Wijewardene immediately had a word with Ajmal and then reported the incident to the match referee Alan Hurst, who slapped Ajmal with a fine.