Colombo, Oct 4:
Sri Lanka produced a clinical bowling display to beat Pakistan by 16 runs and storm into the final of the ICC World Twenty20 here today.
After managing a modest 139 for four on a slow Premadasa track, Sri Lankan duo of Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis stifled the Pakistan batsmen in the final overs to restrict them to 123 for seven.
Pakistan needed 32 runs off last three overs which is considered to be quite achievable by Twenty20 standards but Mendis and Malinga held their nerves giving only five and four runs respectively of the 18th and 19th over.
Nuwan Kulasekara, who bowled the 20th over, didn’t have any pressure on him as he gave only seven runs to sent the capacity crowd into a tizzy.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath used the conditions to perfection as he recorded the best figures of three for 25 in four overs. Malinga gave only 19 runs in his four overs while Mendis was also impressive with figures two for 27.
Chasing a target of 140 was a tricky one on the slow Premadasa track as batsmen often got confused whether to attack or rotate the strike.
Imran Nazir was in his element as he tried to hit each and every ball out of the sight but failed to connect most of them before he dragged one off Mendis onto his stumps. Nazir made 20 with the help of three fours.
Then it was Angelo Mathews who got Sri Lanka back into the game trapping in-form Nasir Jamshed leg before and then deceived Kamran Akmal with a slower one.
From 57 for three, Pakistan soon became 64 for four, as Herath bowled Shoaib Malik with a classical left-armer’s delivery. He flighted one to invite Malik for a drive and the ball turned a shade after pitching to knock the batsman’s off-stump.
Having got a reprieve at 24, Hafeez who till now was happy to play the waiting game, chanced his arms. First he pulled Mathews for a boundary and then reverse swept Herath. He followed it up with a straight six.
But Hafeez finally departed for 42 when he was stumped trying to give Herath the charge.
Shahid Afridi’s woeful time with the bat continued as Herath cleaned up in the next ball to register his third wicket.
Pakistan were tottering at 91 for six at that stage and from there victory became out of question.
Earlier, electing to bat, some scratchy batting by opener Tillekaratne Dilshan hampered Sri Lanka’s chances of putting up a big total as they managed only 139 for four in their stipulated 20 overs.
While skipper Mahela Jayawardene had provided the right start with a 36-ball-42, Dilshan struggled throughout the middle overs as he managed only 35 off 42 balls.
The Lankans managed 16 runs of the final over when Thisara Perera hit a couple of fours while Angelo Mathews also managed a thickish edge.
Shahid Afridi, Mohammed Hafeez, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal got a wicket each but more importantly didn’t go for too many runs.
The decision to promote left-hander Jeevan Mendis above Mathews and Perrera was baffling as the former played a lot of dot balls that added to the pressure on Dilshan.
Scorecard
Sri Lanka:
Mahela Jayawardene c Hasan b Afridi 42
Tillakaratne Dilshan lbw b Gul 35
Kumar Sangakkara c Malik b Hafeez 18
Jeevan Mendis st Akmal b Ajmal 15
Thisara Perera not out 11
Angelo Mathews not out 10
Extras: (B-3 W-4 NB-1) 8
Total: (For 4 wkts in 20 overs) 139
Fall of wickets: 1/63 2/84 3/117 4/118
Bowling: Sohail Tanvir 3-0-11-0, Raza Hasan 4-0-26-0, Saeed Ajmal 4-0-33-1, Shahid Afridi 4-0-28-1, Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-12-1, Umar Gul 3-0-26-1.
Pakistan:
Mohd. Hafeez st Sangakkara b Herath 42
Imran Nazir b Mendis 20
Nasir Jamshed lbw b Mathews 4
Kamran Akmal c Jayawardene b Mathews 1
Shoaib Malik b Herath 6
Umar Akmal not out 29
Shahid Afridi b Herath 0
Sohail Tanvir st Sangakkara b Mendis 8
Umar Gul not out 2
Extras: (LB-2 W-9) 11
Total: (For 7 wkts in 20 overs) 123
Fall of wickets: 1/31 2/55 3/57 4/64 5/91 6/91 7/113
Bowling: Angelo Mathews 4-0-27-2, Nuwan Kulasekara 3-0-15-0, Lasith Malinga 4-0-19-0, Ajantha Mendis 4-0-27-2, Thisara Perera 1-0-8-0, Rangana Herath 4-0-25-3. (PTI)
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