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Skipper Afridi leads the way

Published:Sunday | February 27, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi celebrates the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara (not in photograph) during the ICC Cricket World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, yesterday. Afridi took four for 34 as Pakistan won by 11 runs. - AP

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CMC):Another impressive spell from Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan formalise an 11-run victory over Sri Lanka in the World Cup yesterday.

The Pakistan captain collected four wickets for 34 runs from his allotment of 10 overs with his leg spin, as Sri Lanka, chasing the visitors' 277 for seven, were restricted to 266 for nine in their 50 overs in the Group-A match at the Premadasa Stadium.

It was the second time in the tournament that Afridi performed a critical role for Pakistan with the ball, following his five wickets in their opening match against Kenya.

The result meant that Pakistan have never lost any of their seven World Cup matches against Sri Lanka over the years, and for the hosts, it was their first World Cup defeat on home soil.

Misbah-ul-Haq hit an unbeaten 83 from 91 balls, and Younis Khan made 72 from 76 balls to lead the Pakistan batting before Afridi put the skids on the Sri Lanka batsmen, with his clever variations.

Chamara Silva hit the top score of 57 from 78 balls for Sri Lanka, whose captain Kumar Sangakkara got 49, opener Tillkaratne Dilshan 41, and tail-ender Nuwan Kulasekara 24.

Choosing to bat, Pakistan slipped to 105 for three in the 21st over before Misbah joined Younis, and put 108 from 124 balls for the fourth wicket to fortify their side's position.

Misbah batted through the latter stages of his innings with a runner, but Pakistan still managed to add 68 in the last 10 overs.

collapse

Sri Lanka started solidly with a 76-run opening stand between Dilshan and Upul Tharanga, but Afridi triggered a collapse that left the home team on 96 for four in the 22nd over.

Silva joined Sangakkara, and tried to change the course of the innings with a stand of 73 for the fifth wicket.

Sangakkara was caught at long on in the 38th over however, and Sri Lanka failed to sustain the tempo in the closing over, although Kulasekara raised hope with some lusty hits at the tail-end of the innings.

Pakistan face Canada in their next match this coming Thursday at the same venue, where Sri Lanka meet Kenya two days earlier.

The World Cup continues today with India hosting England at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The match has been originally scheduled for the 100,000-seat Eden Gardens in Kolkata, but construction delays prompted organisers to switch the venue.