Malinga bowls Lanka to dramatic win
After two Test matches away in England, Bangladesh switch focus on the shorter-version of cricket when they take on India in the second one-day international of the Asia Cup at the Rangiri International Stadium in Dambulla in Sri Lanka today.
Shrugging off disappointment of the Tests, Tigers captain Shakib Al Hasan has backed his team to do well in this tournament.
“Tough we didn’t finish well in England, we are all looking forward to doing better in this tournament as we have been playing good cricket for the last 12 months,” Shakib said on the eve of the tournament.
The tournament got underway yesterday with Pakistan taking on champions Sri Lanka.
Afp adds from Dambulla, sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga grabbed 5-34 as the hosts stunned Pakistan by 16 runs.
Shahid Afridi’s first one-day century in five years was in vain as Sri Lanka, restricted to 242-9, bowled out Pakistan for 226 in 47 overs.
The Pakistan captain, who came in to bat with his side struggling at 32-4, smashed 109 off 76 balls to leave the team needing just 38 runs off the last 9.2 overs with four wickets in hand.
Afridi was caught behind off Muttiah Muralidaran, triggering a dramatic collapse.
Malinga bowled Mohammad Aamer, had Shoaib Akhtar caught at mid-off and then yorked last man Mohammad Asif to finish with his best one-day figures.
Afridi hit eight boundaries and seven sixes in his fifth one-day hundred, the first since making 102 versus India at Kanpur on April 15, 2005.
Earlier, fast bowler Akhtar made an impressive return to international cricket with 3-41 from 10 overs in his first game for Pakistan since May last year after recovering from a knee injury.
Sri Lanka slipped to 36-2 by the ninth over, before skipper Kumar Sangakkara (42) and Mahela Jayawardene (54) put on 83 for the third wicket.
All-rounder Angelo Mathews hit an unbeaten 55 off 61 balls to help the defending champions set a challenging target under lights after they were reduced to 168-7 by the 37th over.
SCORES IN BRIEF
SRI LANKA: 242 for 9 in 50 overs (Mathews 55 not out, Jayawardene 54, Sangakkara 42; Akhtar 3-41, Aamer 2-57)
PAKISTAN: 226 all out in 47 overs (Afridi 109, Umar 30, Razzaq 26 not out; Malinga 5-34, Mathews 2-38)
Result: Sri Lanka won by 16 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Shahid Afridi.
Umpires: Billy Bowden and Billy Doctrove.