Spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis took six wickets to help Sri Lanka to a 129-run victory over Pakistan in the second one-day international on Wednesday, squaring the three-match series.
Pakistan were bowled out for 161 in 34.5 overs, with just three batsmen reaching double figures, after Sri Lanka had posted a challenging 290-8 thanks to half-centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilana Kandamby.
The home side never recovered from a terrible start when they lost three wickets for 17 runs at the National Stadium.
Opener Salman Butt (62) and captain Shoaib Malik (54) featured in a 108-run stand from 121 balls for the fourth wicket but once they were separated the spinners ran through the rest of the batting.
Both went at the total of 125.
Muralitharan and Mendis got in on the act with Sanath Jayasuriya also snapping up one wicket as Pakistan lost six wickets for 28 runs.
The early damage was done by paceman Nuwan Kulasekara, who trapped Khurrum Manzoor leg before in the first over and in his next over got the experienced Younis Khan to drag the ball on to his stumps.
Left-arm pacer Thilan Thushara also chipped in with the wicket of Misbah-ul-Haq, who was caught behind as Pakistan stumbled in their run chase.
Butt, who scored a hundred in the first match on Tuesday, played with composure as he and Malik steadied the innings with some sensible cricket.
Butt reached his 10th one-day half-century from 66 balls with six fours while Malik faced 47 balls and hit five fours and a six to get to his fifty.
Soft dismissal
Muralitharan broke the partnership when he had Malik caught behind as the batsmen tried to cut him. In the next over, Butt fell to a soft dismissal when he miscued an on-side drive and lobbed a simple catch to Mahela Jayawardene at short cover.
Mendis also had Kamran Akmal caught behind when he played across the line as the pressure mounted on the home side, with Sohail Tanvir following in the next over when he drove Mendis straight to Dilshan at cover.
Having been outclassed in the first match on Tuesday, Sri Lanka were more consistent and built their lead thanks to makeshift opener Dilshan’s 76 and Kandamby’s (59) maiden half-century.
Dilshan put on 43 quick runs with Sanath Jayasuriya (19) and then shared a 99-run stand from 109 balls with Kandamby.
Jayasuriya (19) was out in an unfortunate manner when his back foot dislodged the bails while playing back to paceman Umar Gul, who took four wickets.
Gul also featured in the run-out of Kumar Sangakkara when he brilliantly picked up and hit the stumps in his follow through after the batsman tried to steal a sharp single on the onside.
Dilshan and Kandamby revived the innings from 66-2 before Shoaib Akhtar had the opener caught at deep midwicket.
Kandamby drove Rao Iftikhar straight to Shoaib Malik in the covers after a 79-ball knock.
Captain Jayawardene made 24 from 34 before he was the fifth man out on 231, caught behind off Gul.
Farveez Maharoof was bowled by Sohail Tanvir after a cameo 17 from 13 balls, while Gul dismissed Chamara Kapugedera (44) and Thushara to add to his tally. — Reuters