Ajmal And Hafeez Steer Pakistan To Victory

Ajmal And Hafeez Steer Pakistan To Victory

Pakistan celebrated an impressive nine-wicket win on the fourth day in Dubai

©REUTERS / Action Images

Pakistan 403 & 94-1 (Mohammad Hafeez 59no) beat
Sri Lanka 239 & 257 (Saeed Ajmal 5-68) by 9 wickets
Second Test, Dubai
Scorecard | Day One | Day Two | Day Three

Pakistan underlined their dominance of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Dubai by sweeping to a nine-wicket victory on the fourth day.

Mohammad Hafeez struck a quickfire unbeaten 59 after Saeed Ajmal's five-wicket haul had dismissed Sri Lanka for 257 in their second innings.

Pakistan lost the wicket of Taufeeq Umar for one but were otherwise in a class of their own, Azhar Ali following up his maiden century earlier in the game by making 29 not out.

The day began with Sri Lanka still 76 runs behind and requiring a Herculean effort to stay in the game but aside from half-centuries from Tharanga Paranavitana and Angelo Mathews, they fell well short.

Paranavitana made a dogged 72 in 239 balls and Mathews was unbeaten on 52 in 143 deliveries as Ajmal returned five for 68 and was backed up by Junaid Khan (2-38) and Abdur Rehman (2-65).

Kumar Sangakkara made 30 in 99 balls while Dhammika Prasad (33) and Rangana Herath (15) were the only other players to reach double figures.

Herath then dismissed Taufeeq with the score on 17 as Pakistan pursued their modest target but that was as good as it got, Hafeez hitting five fours and two sixes to hurry his side to a victory that put them 1-0 up with one Test to play in the series.

The opening game was drawn with Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene resisting Pakistan's bowlers with the sort of  rearguard effort that was lacking in this match.

The final game in Sharjah begins on 3rd November.

© Cricket World 2011