Shell shocked Sri Lankans after their eight wicket loss in the first One-Day International against Pakistan on Friday will have to do some serious soul searching prior to their second ODI in Dubai tomorrow.
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| Pakistan cricketer Younis Khan (R) is congratulated by Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (L) after Pakistan won the first One Day International (ODI) match between the two countries at the Dubai cricket stadium in the Gulf Emirate on November 11, 2011. AFP |
The Lankans misfired right from the moment that skipper Tillekeratne Dilshan won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that promised runs on it. Dilshan in his pre-match chat predicted that his side would look for a score in the region of 270 runs.But, once at the crease the twice World Cup finalists realized that they had lost their magic and the art of making runs. Dilshan was the first to exit the crease after consuming eight balls in making four runs which came in the form of a solitary boundary.
Out of the Lankan batsmen only youngster Dinesh Chandimal looked daring and looked to charge the Pakistan bowling brigade. His knock of 28 included two sixes and a four. Chandimal was surprised by an Afridi faster ball – trapping him leg before. In the previous ball Chandimal lofted the experienced leg spinner for a six over mid-wicket.
Afridi who ended his six-month retirement on Friday finished with figures of 3 for 27 off 9.3 overs.
Besides Chandimal the rest of the Lankan batsmen struggled. The normally enterprising Upul Tharanga plodded for 85 minutes facing 56 balls before lofting a simple catch to mid-on after making 25 runs while Mahela Jayawardena who made 24 runs in 57 balls cut a forlorn figure.
The Lankans occupied the crease for 243 balls before being bundled out for 131.
However once Pakistan took charge of the crease, the wicket which looked an imposing one for run making proved easy.
Unlike the Pakistan bowlers who concentrated and bowled in the right corridors, the Sri Lankan bowlers led by Lasith Malinga were wayward. Their most experienced bowlers Malinga and Dilhara Fernando were the worst flouters as they averaged seven and six runs per over. Seekuge Prasanna the sole spinner in the Lankan ranks also proved ineffective while defending the Lankan meagre score total of 131 all out.
Pakistan’s one-drop batsman Imran Farhat and ex-skipper Younis Khan who were associated in a match winning 103 run stand scored freely and helped to end the match in only 121 balls scoring at the rate of 6.04 runs per over losing only two wickets in the process. Farhat and Khan made 50 and 56 not out respectively.
For tomorrow’s game Pakistan is likely to retain the same XL while Sri Lanka would look for a better bowling combination. The most likely casualty in the Lankan team would be all rounder Kosala Kulasekera who would make way for leg spinning allrounder Jeewan Mendis.
The second match will also be played in Dubai on Monday. The remaining matches are scheduled for Dubai (November 18), Sharjah (November 20) and Abu Dhabi (November 23).
The teams will also play a Twenty20 in Abu Dhabi on November 25.
Pakistan (from): Misbah-Ul-Haq (Captain), Abdul Rehman, Asad Shafeeq, Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Shohail Thanweer, Umar Gul, Abdul Razzaq, Azzez Cheema, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Shafraz Ahamed, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Younis Khan.
Sri Lanka (from): T.M. Dilshan (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dilhara Fernando, Mahela Jayawardene, Suraj Randiv, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kosala Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Jeevan Mendis, Thissara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga | 
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