Pakistan crush Sri Lanka to win Karachi Test
Karachi, March 15: Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by 222 runs with a day to spare to win the third cricket Test here at the National Stadium on Wednesday
Samiul Hasan
16-Mar-2000
Karachi, March 15: Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by 222 runs with a day
to spare to win the third cricket Test here at the National Stadium on
Wednesday. Sri Lanka, who clinched the series 2-1, found themselves
hapless against the charged-up Pakistanis and were dismissed in just
46 overs while scoring 228 in pursuit of a record 451-run victory
target.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 421 after resuming their second
innings on Wednesday morning at 375 for seven.
Pakistan's excellent and convincing victory not only helped them to
boost their morale after a spate of losses but also maintain their
remarkable 45-year unbeaten record at the National Stadium. They now
have 17 victories and 17 draws.
The victory also ended a five-match win drought after being
whitewashed in Australia and then losing back-to-back Tests to Sri
Lanka in Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
The combination of coach Javed Miandad and skipper Moin Khan turned
the fortunes of Pakistan cricket. The team which looked disjointed in
the last five months, is gradually regrouping into a winning unit.
The batsmen occupied the crease and put decent score on the board
which helped the bowlers to fire on all cylinders without fearing that
they had to defend a small total besides taking wickets.
The fielders backed their bowlers by holding catches and in the
meantime producing three run-outs, including two in Sri Lanka's second
innings, which speaks of their agility and alertness.
The star performer of the penultimate day's play was speedster Waqar
Younis who bowled at a sizzling pace to virtually break the back of
the Sri Lankan batting. He utilized all his experience when he
produced speed and swing from the pitch which looked to have eased
down.
It was after a long time when Waqar was seen in full cry. He seemed to
have regained his customary rhythm of old. The way he shattered Russel
Arnold's confidence, after trapping Sanath Jayasuriya with an
inswinger which deceived the left-hander, was in a class of his own.
In his sixth over, Waqar mixed his deliveries with inswingers and
short-pitched stuff before delivering an almost unplayable outswinger
from the spot when the batsmen hate. Russel could do nothing but edge
it and Moin Khan did the rest by grabbing a fine catch just in front
of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the first slip.
The crucial wicket which all but ended Sri Lanka's hopes of stretching
the match into the final day was of anchorman Marvan Atapattu who
perished behind the wickets by playing a reckless shot off a wild
delivery from Mohammad Akram.
Atapattu's dismissal opened gates for Pakistan from both the ends and
though Romesh Kaluwitharana and Ravindra Pushpakumara scored 33 and 44
runs respectively, it was just a delay of the inevitable.
While Waqar finished as the most impressive bowler with two for 32,
while Shahid Afridipicking up three wickets conceding 50 runs. Shahid
now has 10 wickets here in two matches, besides a half century.
Earlier, Pakistan added 46 runs in 60 minutes to prosper to 421. Moin
Khan was the first man out when he holed out to Pramodiya
Wickremasinghe off Pushpakumara who finished with four for66. Moin's
105-ball 70 spiced seven boundaries.
He was associated in a 88-run eighth wicket partnership with Waqar
Younis who clobbered four fours and a six before falling to Muttiah
Muralitharan for the fifth time in the series.
The spin king ended up with four for 107 to take his tally of wickets
to 26 which earned him the Man-of-the-Series award. Waqar, for his 13
wickets, edge out Inzamam-ul-Haq with 355 runs to bag the
Man-of-the-Series award from Pakistan. Inzamam, however, had the
satisfaction of being adjudged Man-of-the-Match.