all over, after a lot of fuss. Pakistan had no business losing this, but they made a really solid effort. In the end, it was not enough, since Sri Lanka made more than their share of mistakes too. Murali backs away and looks to swing across the line, it hits his pads and goes to the leg side for a leg bye. Sighs of relief being heaved everywhere on the field
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 10th Match, Group A at Colombo, Feb 26 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
10th Match, Group A (D/N), Colombo (RPS), February 26, 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup
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SL
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end of over 506 runs • 1 wicket
SL: 266/9CRR: 5.32
Muthiah Muralidaran0 (1b)
Rangana Herath4 (10b)
Umar Gul 9-0-60-1
Mohammad Hafeez 6-0-33-1
Right, the World Cup has come alive finally. Here's hoping for another humdinger when India play England tomorrow. Apologies for the scoring glitch when Mathews got out today - the pressure seemed to get to us as well, a bit! In fact, the umpires for that wrong. Mathews faced the last ball of thr 43rd, which he hit for four, and the first ball of the 44th. And he got out in that over. So it goes.
On behalf of Abhishek and the rest of the team, this is Nitin Sundar signing off. Cheers!
Presentations:
Afridi is the Man of the Match. Finally, a bowling effort gets rewarded! " That was a big game. The way Misbah and Younis played - beautiful and very mature. The fielders relaxed a bit, but on a stage like this we can't do that. I am sure they will improve in the coming games. Good conditions for bowlers - spin and bounce. This is a strong message to other teams, we will come stronger, game after game!"
Sangakkara: "Quite a few positives - we bowled well on a flat deck, but lost three wickets at the wrong time. We got a good start, and needed players to bat long. Unfortunately, Pakistan played very well. Younis and Misbah kept picking singles well, but we did well to drag it back to 270. We got to keep going on - it is a long tournament and lot of games to win."
Misbah who did not take the field says there's nothing to worry with his niggle and he should be good in a couple of days. "It was keeping a little bit low, and in the first innings things were good for batting. I just wanted to be there till the end."
Well, we have finally seen a game go the distance - good development after a full week of the World Cup. What stood out today was that the experienced players stood up for Pakistan under pressure - Misbah, Younis, Afridi and Shoaib. You will see that happen a lot, when the going gets tough.
49.6
1lb
Umar Gul to Murali, 1 leg bye
49.5
W
Umar Gul to Kulasekara, OUT
Gul has a wicket and Kula's free-scoring surge has come to an end. Not a yorker this time, it was a low full toss on leg stump and Kula couldn't get as much muscle under it as he would have wanted. Still went through with the shot, backing away and looking to launch it over long on. He found the fielder.
Nuwan Kulasekara c Umar Akmal b Umar Gul 24 (14b 2x4 1x6 21m) SR: 171.42
49.4
•
Umar Gul to Kulasekara, no run
two things that rarely happened today just happened. Gul landed a yorker. And Kamran pouched a tough catch. Superb ball this, follows Kula as he backs away and it goes right through him. Kamran dives to the left and collects. He stands up sheepishly and claps for Gul. A smile on the face too.
49.3
4
Umar Gul to Kulasekara, FOUR runs
that's one of 'em four fours. Some finish this. Gul gives him just enough width outside off for Kula to swing his arms hard at it. It hits the outside edge, and flies away unimpeded to third man
49.2
1
Umar Gul to Herath, 1 run
right, he's got a single. Kula needs to hit more that four fours to win this game. Four fours will tie it. Full delivery on the stumps, another cross-batted heave and an inside edge to short fine leg, who does extremely well to dive and keep it down to one
49.1
•
Umar Gul to Herath, no run
Herath can't connect. Back of a length and angling across, he looks to swing it away to the leg side. He misses. No surprises there. Kamran collects. Big surprise there.
Gul has the ball, He's had a very poor day, but he's still the man for this.
end of over 4911 runs
SL: 260/8CRR: 5.30 • RRR: 18.00
Nuwan Kulasekara20 (11b 1x4 1x6)
Rangana Herath3 (8b)
Mohammad Hafeez 6-0-33-1
Shoaib Akhtar 10-0-42-2
48.6
6
Hafeez to Kulasekara, SIX runs
that's the blow they needed. Kula connects with a low full toss on leg stump and thumps it over midwicket. 18 required off 6. Pakistan still ahead.
48.5
1lb
Hafeez to Herath, 1 leg bye
Herath just sweeps. That's all he does all the time. Leg bye as he misses.
48.4
1
Hafeez to Kulasekara, 1 run
Kula searches for the hitting length, but Hafeez is keeping it real full. He manages to hit this reasonably well to long on, but the fielder keeps it away from the boundary
48.3
1
Hafeez to Herath, 1 run
Herath gets another single through wide mid off, full on off stump and driven along the ground
Prem Panicker on twitter: "Watching Akmal keep is when I miss Boycott's grandmother the most"
48.2
1
Hafeez to Kulasekara, 1 run
dropped by Hafeez. Anyone keeping track of the drops? Full toss outside off, he slaps it back real hard and Hafeez can't hold on.
48.1
1lb
Hafeez to Herath, 1 leg bye
nice bowling, saw Herath moving around, stopped and then delivered it full on off stump. He can't connect the sweep and gets a leg bye to the off side
Hafeez to bowl. You read right. Round the wicket.
end of over 487 runs
SL: 249/8CRR: 5.18 • RRR: 14.50
Nuwan Kulasekara12 (8b 1x4)
Rangana Herath2 (5b)
Shoaib Akhtar 10-0-42-2
Abdur Rehman 10-1-63-1
29 required of 2. Rehman and Shoaib have bowled out.
47.6
2
Shoaib Akhtar to Kulasekara, 2 runs
Kula is not giving up just yet. Backs away to the leg side, and Shoaib responds with a bouncer on off stump. Kula keeps his cool and slaps it high over point for a couple before deep cover can get across.
47.5
2
Shoaib Akhtar to Kulasekara, 2 runs
Kula manages to get under a nearly perfect yorker and loft it cleanly down to long on. Poor return from Umar Akmal, who runs across and fields, and they end up getting two
47.4
1
Shoaib Akhtar to Herath, 1 run
low full toss outside Herath's off stump and he drives it without enough power to wide long on for one
47.3
1
Shoaib Akhtar to Kulasekara, 1 run
full length ball, searing in from outside off, and driven by Kula off the backfoot to extra cover for one
47.2
1b
Shoaib Akhtar to Herath, 1 bye
slow bouncer, Shoaib at his best. Herath can't even imagine a bumper at 111 kph, tries to duck, weave and eventually just stays out of the way as it flies slowly past his head. Kamran, as always, fumbles.
47.1
•
Shoaib Akhtar to Herath, no run
full on off stump, Herath opens the face and steers straight to point
Shoaib for his last over now.
end of over 4710 runs • 1 wicket
SL: 242/8CRR: 5.14 • RRR: 12.00
Rangana Herath1 (2b)
Nuwan Kulasekara7 (5b 1x4)
Abdur Rehman 10-1-63-1
Shoaib Akhtar 9-0-36-2
46.6
1
Abdur to Herath, 1 run
Herath sweeps with control and picks up a couple to end the over. Both teams have played quite badly in the recent past, and as a result this game is still open, though Pakistan are favourites.
46.5
3
Abdur to Kulasekara, 3 runs
Pakistan's fielding - what a shambles. Kula backs away and carves over the infield, Shehzad fields and relays to Umatr Akmal running back, who misses. To be fair, it was a really poor relay throw. They pick up three.
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