Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 2013-14
Wisden's review of the second ODI, Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2013-14
15-Apr-2014
At Dubai, December 20, 2013 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by two wickets. Toss: Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's batting depth served them well as they soared past the second-highest score at Dubai with two balls to spare. Dilshan was at fault for Kushal Perera's run-out, and soon came a cropper himself when he grounded his bat in a wet patch centimetres from the line, and the handle slipped out of his grasp. Sangakkara and Chandimal withstood the threat of Junaid Khan, and gradually restored calm in a stand of 94. Mathews hit only one four in his first 42 - adopting Javed Miandad's old tactic of deliberate slow running to provoke overthrows - but his second boundary, off Junaid in the penultimate over, was the killer blow. Mathews did fall soon after, but Karunaratne, a Test opener, emerged at No. 9 to help knock off the winning runs. Mathews' approach recalled the earlier patient hundred from Ahmed Shehzad; only seven boundaries were scored in the first half of Pakistan's innings. Misbah-ul-Haq sped things up a little with his customary late fifty. But he was later fined 20% of his match fee, and his team-mates 10%, for a slow over-rate.
Man of the Match: A. D. Mathews.
Sri Lanka's batting depth served them well as they soared past the second-highest score at Dubai with two balls to spare. Dilshan was at fault for Kushal Perera's run-out, and soon came a cropper himself when he grounded his bat in a wet patch centimetres from the line, and the handle slipped out of his grasp. Sangakkara and Chandimal withstood the threat of Junaid Khan, and gradually restored calm in a stand of 94. Mathews hit only one four in his first 42 - adopting Javed Miandad's old tactic of deliberate slow running to provoke overthrows - but his second boundary, off Junaid in the penultimate over, was the killer blow. Mathews did fall soon after, but Karunaratne, a Test opener, emerged at No. 9 to help knock off the winning runs. Mathews' approach recalled the earlier patient hundred from Ahmed Shehzad; only seven boundaries were scored in the first half of Pakistan's innings. Misbah-ul-Haq sped things up a little with his customary late fifty. But he was later fined 20% of his match fee, and his team-mates 10%, for a slow over-rate.
Man of the Match: A. D. Mathews.