Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI – A clinical display of seam bowling by Gul, Tanvir and Junaid Khan have allowed Pakistan to make a superb start against Sri Lanka in the 5th ODI at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, November
23, 2011.
Opting to bat first, the Lankans were never in command, allowing the pacers to run riot, posting 60 in 12 overs for the loss of 4 top order batsmen.
The havoc was created by Sohail Tanvir, who took full use of the early assistance from the pitch by removing Upul Tharanga in the 4th over of the game. A series of inswinger was followed by a ball which held his line, and took a feather of the
bat of Tharanga and flying straight into wicket-keeper, Umar Akmal’s gloves.
Umar Gul, the Men In Green leading pacer than got the opponent skipper, Tillakaratne Dilshan as he attempted another of his usual off side punch shot, however, with no feet movement he too only managed to nick it behind the stumps.
A couple of boundaries kept the run rate on the up, but the tourists were in dire straits when Tanvir got Dinesh Chandimal, who gave Younis Khan a dolly at slip to depart on 7.
Kumar Sangakkara than took charge to Junaid and smashed the left-armer for two scorching cover drives. Chamara Silva, who came in for veteran Mahela Jayawardene lasted just 6 balls, perishing off the youngster after failing to connect to a cover drive and
only managing to give Men In Green skipper, catching practice at first slip.
The wickets did little to affect the attacking nature of Sangakkara as he cashed into a few half crackers provided by Tanvir to take 14 from the 12th over.
With four down, the Lankans will need to rebuild and will be banking on the current pairing of the veteran and Angelo Mathews to bat out most of the overs in order to post something respectable on the board.
With the likes of Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal yet to bowl, the chances look bleaker for a wounded sub-continent lions.