Consolation win for Pakistan

An overdue half-century from Tillakaratne Dilshan was overshadowed by a quickfire 48 from Umar Akmal as Pakistan drew some consolation by beating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the last league game of the Asia Cup T20 match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Both teams were out of contention for the March 6 final, but this win will give Pakistan a boost ahead of their World Twenty20 campaign.

Akmal hit a six and two fours in the 15th over bowled by Milinda Siriwardana to bring the equation down to an imminently achievable 32 off the last five overs. A two-run over from Dushmantha Chameera raised possibilities of a close finish, but Akmal immediately relieved the pressure by hitting a beautiful lofted cover drive off the first ball of the next over from Nuwan Kulasekara. That over yielded eight runs and was followed by a 12-run over from Chameera, which included four byes and another Akmal boundary. With seven needed from eight balls , Akmal hit a huge straight six to all but settle the issue. He was out next ball to a brilliant catch at long off by Thisara Perera, but Shoaib Malik hit the winning runs, albeit off a dropped catch, with four balls remaining. 

Mohammad Hafeez and Sharjeel Khan put on 23 untroubled runs in 3.3 overs before Hafeez was caught and bowled by Shehan Jayasuriya. Sharjeel however carried on, reserving special punishment for Dushmantha Chameera who he hit for four boundaries -- three in front of square on the leg side and one behind point -- in the sixth over. His dismissal for a 24-ball 31, caught at long on off Dilshan, slowed Pakistan only momentarily.

Umar Akmal and Sarfaraz Ahmed moved the score from 58 for two to 94 in just 5.4 overs when Milinda Siriwardana trapped the latter in front, leaving Pakistan to score 57 runs from 43 balls. That was when Umar Akmal started opening his shoulders.

Earlier, Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal made full use of a good batting wicket by putting on a 110-run first-wicket stand in just 14.1 overs.

Dilshan was fortunate to get two reprieves when he was on eight and again on 64, both catches dropped by Mohammad Irfan. Dilshan remained unbeaten on a 56-ball 75 with 10 fours and a six. 

When Chandimal was dismissed in the 15th over for a 49-ball 58 Sri Lanka looked set for a total in excess of 170, but the batsmen coming in could not keep up the tempo. Jayasuriya was caught at long on in the following over bowled by Shoaib Malik, and the gargantuan Irfan came back to clean-bowl Chamara Kapugedera and Dasun Shanaka in the 18th over. In the 19th over, Dilshan hit perhaps the strangest shot of the tournament off Mohammad Amir, a reverse scoop to a length delivery that went to the third man fence for four.