Pakistan Finish In Style With 132-Run Victory

Pakistan Finish In Style With 132-Run Victory

Younus Khan (left) and Kumar Sangakkara exchange words following an appeal against Younus for a catch behind.

©REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (SRI LANKA SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Pakistan 279-7 (Younus Khan 76, Misbh-ul-Haq 73no) beat
Sri Lanka 147 (Kandamby 42no, Mohd. Aamer 4-28) by 132 runs
Scorecard
Fifth One-Day International, Colombo

Half-centuries from Younus Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq and four wickets apiece from Mohammad Aamer and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan enabled Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka by 132 runs in the fifth and final One-Day International in Colombo.

Younus scored 76 in 100 balls and Misbah was unbeaten on 73 in 82 deliveries and the pair laid the foundations for another improved batting effort from Pakistan, who nevertheless lost the series 3-2 despite bowling out Sri Lanka for 147.

Having won the toss and chosen to bat, they suffered the worst possible start when Kamran Akmal was trapped in front by Nuwan Kulasekara from the opening delivery of the match.

Imran Nazir hit 35 to help rebuild the innings with Younus and a measured innings of 43 and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan thumped 33 in 29 deliveries at the death after Umar Akmal (6) and Shahid Afridi (5) had fallen cheaply.

Kulasekara returned three for 46, having Afridi caught by Kumar Sangakkara and Naved caught by Upul Tharanga as Dammika Prasad, Ajantha Mendis, Angelo Mathews and Sanath Jayasuriya picked up one wicket apiece.

Sri Lanka lost openers Tharanga (0) and Sanath Jayasuriya (6) but looked to be rebuilding the innings before Aamer and Naved ripped through the middle order to leave them on 74 for eight having been 58 for two just prior to the dismissal of Sangakkara for 16.

Batting collapses have been a strong feature for both sides in the tour to date and this one saw six wickets fall for just 20 runs and left Sri Lanka effectively out of the game.

Mahela Jayawardene managed 31 and Thilina Kandamby, not for the first time, was left to bat with the tail to remain unbeaten on 41 before Shahid Afridi removed Malinga Bandara, who also made 31, and Mendis, who failed to score as Sri Lanka were all out in 34.2 overs.

Sri Lanka won the first three matches in the series, all held in Dambulla, before Pakistan hit back with a big win in the fourth match and the two sides meet in a Twenty20 International - a repeat of the ICC World Twenty20 final in June, on Wednesday 12th August.

© Cricket World 2009

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