Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2nd ODI at Kandy, , Jun 09 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
2nd ODI (D/N), Pallekele, June 09, 2012, Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka
(46.2/50 ov, T:281) 204

Sri Lanka won by 76 runs

Player Of The Match
24* (14) & 6/44
thisara-perera
New
PAK
Full commentary

So we move to Colombo with the series level. Thanks for joining us tonight. Cheers

"We were not far away from putting everything together, so credit to the guys for doing so," says Mahela Jayawardene. "We swapped the batting order in Australia, so we can be flexible. It's good that we can keep changing. It was important that one of us stays till the end so it was good Dilshan did so. Perera is brilliant. It;s great to have such allrounders, Angelo and him. Hopefully we keep them both healthy for a long period of time."

"They played really well," says Misbah-ul-Haq. "Their opening partnership was very good. Dilshan, Mahela, then the finish. The wicket was very good. The way we started it was gettable. When me and Umar Akmal, the game turned. We have to work really hard in all three departments. They were better than us in all three departments."

Thisara Perera is the Man of the Match. Says he: "It is a 50-50 wicket. You can hit also, and you can get wickets too. Really enjoyed myself. I could play my natural game. Now it's 1-1, and we have to carry this performance forward."

Comprehensive win for Sri Lanka. It began with Dilshan switching to ODI mode, and the rest batting around him. A responsible, hard-working century from Dilshan and cameos at the other end helped SL post a total much bigger than has even been successfully chased against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. Pakistan were surprisingly not as aggressive the other day: Ajmal was used as a container during Powerplay overs, while sides usually use their best bowlers to try to pick wickets.

Pakistan made a good start to their chase, but again in the middle overs fell back a little bit, and Sri Lanka were happy to slowly and gradually mount pressure. It was a combination of thin batting (Afridi bats at No. 6), low confidence, and defensive mindset that took the asking rate to over 7 for the last 20, and close to nine for the last 15. Wickets fell under pressure, but Perera's effort should not be forgotten. He kept Pakistan under check with regular wickets, six of them. And that catch to dismiss Hafeez was an absolute blinder. How about this? Sri Lanka conceded only two extras, and that too leg-byes. A toss-up between Dilshan and Perera for the Man of the Match. I am biased towards bowlers, so my pick will be Perera, but let's see who the official MoM is.

46.2
W
Kulasekara to Sarfaraz, OUT

slower ball, huge appeal for lbw as he misses a flick, and he is given. Was down the wicket, but that looked straight. Going down as it was an offcutter, but given. That levels the series

Sarfaraz Ahmed lbw b Kulasekara 20 (27b 2x4 0x6 44m) SR: 74.07
46.1
Kulasekara to Sarfaraz, no run

length ball into the pads, wants to flick it behind square, but is beaten

Rahat Ali walks out. Batsmen that tall are not known for long innings. Sarf is on strike, though. Kula is back

end of over 467 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 204/9CRR: 4.43 RRR: 19.25
Sarfaraz Ahmed20 (25b 2x4)
Lasith Malinga 8-1-40-2
Thisara Perera 10-0-44-6
45.6
W
Malinga to Ajmal, OUT

another short ball, Ajmal backs away and swings again, edges it safely through to Sanga. Better out than injured

Saeed Ajmal c †Sangakkara b Malinga 4 (5b 1x4 0x6 5m) SR: 80
45.5
4
Malinga to Ajmal, FOUR runs

another short delivery, no allowance for Ajmal, and the top edge goes for four to fine leg

45.4
Malinga to Ajmal, no run

bouncer, sways out of its line

45.3
1
Malinga to Sarfaraz, 1 run

low full toss on the pads, worked away for one

45.2
2
Malinga to Sarfaraz, 2 runs

slower ball, taken from off, worked between fine leg and deep square, gets a couple

45.1
Malinga to Sarfaraz, no run

unfair on the lower order. This is a lethal yorker in front of leg. Keep those toes safe boys

Malinga comes back

end of over 456 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 197/8CRR: 4.37 RRR: 16.80
Saeed Ajmal0 (2b)
Sarfaraz Ahmed17 (22b 2x4)
Thisara Perera 10-0-44-6
Angelo Mathews 10-0-48-0
44.6
Perera to Ajmal, no run

slower ball, on off, defended, and Perera ends his night superbly - six wickets and a crazy catch

44.5
Perera to Ajmal, no run

length ball, on off, defended to cover

Saeed Ajmal comes in

These are also the best figures by a Sri Lankan against Pakistan. Make that anybody, and he has surpassed - drum roll - Sourav Ganguly's 5 for 16. Medium pace is the way to go against Pakistan

44.4
W
Perera to Umar Gul, OUT

that's his No. 6, a personal best for Perera. Gul is a sitting duck. Stays in the crease, and swings across the length. Misses, and is dead plumb. Couldn't have been plumber

Umar Gul lbw b Perera 14 (13b 0x4 1x6 16m) SR: 107.69
44.3
1
Perera to Sarfaraz, 1 run

straight length ball driven to long-on for one

44.2
4
Perera to Sarfaraz, FOUR runs

nearly a sixth. Short of a length, cutting away, Sarf throws his bat at it, gets a thick edge, wide enough of Sanga, fine enough of third man

This is Perera's last chance to take a six-for, which will be his personal best

44.1
1
Perera to Umar Gul, 1 run

No. He bowls a full toss, driven for a single to sweeper-cover

Perera comes back. Another first-ball wicket?

end of over 449 runs
PAK: 191/7CRR: 4.34 RRR: 15.00
Sarfaraz Ahmed12 (20b 1x4)
Umar Gul13 (11b 1x6)
Angelo Mathews 10-0-48-0
Rangana Herath 10-1-37-0
43.6
Angelo Mathews to Sarfaraz, no run

yorker, gets an inside edge onto the pad

43.5
1
Angelo Mathews to Umar Gul, 1 run

another well timed shot by Gul, wide of extra cover for a single

43.4
1
Angelo Mathews to Sarfaraz, 1 run

slower ball again, worked away off the pads for a single

43.3
1
Angelo Mathews to Umar Gul, 1 run

slower ball, full, gets a leg-bye as this slides down leg

43.2
Angelo Mathews to Umar Gul, no run

short of a length, swat-pulled this time, and Perera at midwicket dives full length on a barren patch, and saves four runs

43.1
6
Angelo Mathews to Umar Gul, SIX runs

Boy that is some shot. Short, not a long hop, mind you, and Gul has pulled this over long-on for six. Where did he get that power into that shot from? And this is no Mickey Mouse boundary

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