Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI at Karachi, , Jan 21 2009 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
2nd ODI (D/N), Karachi, January 21, 2009, Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan
(34.5/50 ov, T:291) 161

Sri Lanka won by 129 runs

Player Of The Match
76 (88)
tillakaratne-dilshan
New
PAK
Full commentary

A clinical 129-run win by SL. They struck early, removing Manzoor, Younis, and Misbah in quick succession, with just 17 on the board. Shoaib Malik and Salman Butt were involved in a fighting century-stand, but after Malik was caught-behind, Pakistan collapsed. In all, just three of their batsmen managed to reach double figures, and unlike yesterday when they handled spinners well, they crumbled to spin this time, with Mendis, Murali and Jayasuriya taking seven wickets between them.

The last seven wickets fell for 36 runs - all to spinners. Malik may not necessarily have erred in opting to field first given the ease with which his team chased down 220 yesterday, but his fast bowlers Shoaib and Tanvir performed miserably. They also lost early wickets- Younis and Misbah to poor shots - and their middle-order simply failed to resist after Malik and Butt had led the recovery.

Mahela broke the record for most catches taken in ODI's; he went Mohammad Azharuddin's 156 when he caught Butt at short cover. Murali is just two short of 500 ODI wickets; he'll hope to reach that mark in Lahore on the 24th.

Dilshan is the Man of the Match.

"I got a good start and I tried to bat till the 30th-35th over after Jayasuriya got out. The pitch did a bit early and eased out as the innings progressed."

Shoaib Malik: "The wicket was good, but our bowlers didn't hit the right areas. It's difficult to chase 290 with the spin attack they have and we lost too many early wickets. We look forward to the final and we'll try and play to our full strength."

Jayawardene: "We pulled our socks up today and I'm proud of the way we fought back. We kept bowling well at them and created opportunities; our fast bowlers did well by getting early wickets and made it easier for the spinners to do the job later."

That's all we have from here. Thanks for all your e-mails and do tune into our live coverage of the decider on the 24th. Until then, it's goodbye from Siddhartha Talya on the commentary and Manoj and Chaminda de Silva on the scoring duties. Adios!

34.5
W
Mendis to Iftikhar, OUT

gone! It's all over! Flighted on the off stump, tries to defend with bat hidden behind pad, spins into the batsman, is struck on the pads and that would have gone on to hit middle and off

Iftikhar Anjum lbw b Mendis 5 (13b 1x4 0x6 16m) SR: 38.46
34.4
1
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, 1 run

flighted on middle and leg, turned away to fine leg

34.3
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

short outside off, pushed to cover off the back foot

34.2
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

short on the off stump and spinning into the right hander, defended to midwicket off the back foot

34.1
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

quicker one on middle and leg, defended on the leg side

end of over 346 runs
PAK: 160/9CRR: 4.70 RRR: 8.18
Iftikhar Anjum5 (12b 1x4)
Shoaib Akhtar0 (6b)
Muthiah Muralidaran 7-1-19-3
Ajantha Mendis 6-1-28-2
33.6
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

tossed up outside off, defended towards point off the front foot

33.5
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

flat outside off again, from round the wicket this time, defended wide of silly point on the front foot

33.4
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

flighted outside off and spinning in, defended on the off side

33.3
4
Murali to Iftikhar, FOUR runs

shot! Flat on middle and leg, swept down wide of leg slip for a boundary towards fine leg

33.2
2lb
Murali to Iftikhar, 2 leg byes

short outside off, gets outside the line to defend, clips the pads to lob up over slip

33.1
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

flighted on middle and leg, pushed uppishly towards midwicket

A slip, a silly point and a leg slip

end of over 33Maiden
PAK: 154/9CRR: 4.66 RRR: 8.05
Shoaib Akhtar0 (6b)
Iftikhar Anjum1 (6b)
Ajantha Mendis 6-1-28-2
Muthiah Muralidaran 6-1-15-3
32.6
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

went straight on, quicker one outside off and the batsman had no answer to that one

32.5
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

short outside off, guided to point off the back foot

32.4
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

tossed up on the off stump and spinning in, gets a huge stride forward to defend, is struck on the pads

32.3
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

short on the off stump, defended off the back foot

32.2
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

pushed back to the bowler off the front foot

32.1
Mendis to Shoaib Akhtar, no run

tossed up on the off stump, defended towards cover

end of over 321 run • 1 wicket
PAK: 154/9CRR: 4.81 RRR: 7.61
Iftikhar Anjum1 (6b)
Shoaib Akhtar0 (0b)
Muthiah Muralidaran 6-1-15-3
Ajantha Mendis 5-0-28-2
31.6
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

tossed up on middle and off, defended watchfully back to the bowler

31.5
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

flighted outside off, gets forward to defend, gets an inside edge to short fine leg

31.4
Murali to Iftikhar, no run

flighted on middle and leg, pushed into the leg side on the front foot

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