Umar Akmal Stars With Century But Pakistanis Beaten

Umar Akmal Stars With Century But Pakistanis Beaten

Mahela Udawatte hits out during his century.

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

Sri Lanka A 348-6 (Udawatte 161, Kapugedera 101) beat
Pakistanis 333 (Umar Akmal 103no, Fawad Alam 85) by 15 runs
One-day warm-up, Kurunegala

Umar Akmal hammered a superb unbeaten century but it was not enough to prevent the touring Pakistanis going down to a 15-run defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka A.

It was a day for hitting hundreds as after Abdul Razzaq picked up two wickets in two balls to get the match off to an explosive start, Mahela Udawatte (161) and Chamara Kapugedera (101) registered their maiden One-day centuries in Sri Lanka's total of 348 for six.

Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 333, Akmal unbeaten on 101 from just 56 balls as Dilhara Fernando and Farveez Maharoof picked up three wickets apiece.

Pakistan were also in trouble, slipping to 29 for three before innings of 34 from Shahid Afridi and 85 from Fawad Alam kept them in with a chance.

Following their dismissals, Misbah-ul-Haq (17), Younus Khan (16), failed to kick on and that left the lower order with too much to do.

Not that that stopped Akmal from hammering seven fours and three sixes and with support from Abdul Razzaq, who backed up four for 70 with an innings of 56 in 29 deliveries they pushed Sri Lanka A all the way.

Fernando took three for 50, Maharoof three for 75 and Malinda Pushpakumara two for 58.

Earlier, from nought for two, Sri Lanka mounted a superb recovery to post a winning score, Udawatte's innings including 19 fours and two sixes in 135 balls while Kapugedera hit six fours and two sixes in 91 balls.

Upul Tharanga and Kaushal Silva were the men to depart to golden ducks while 59 from Thilina Kandamby ensured Sri Lanka posted a fine score, and one that proved beyond the Pakistanis.

The first game in the five-match One-Day International series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is on Thursday (30th July) in Dambulla.

© Cricket World 2009

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