Sri Lanka oust Pakistan in exciting semifinal

This was as exciting a semi-final as one could have hoped for. In front of easily the largest and most vocal crowd of the tournament, Sri Lanka beat an experienced Pakistan side by 10 runs. Their victory, the result of a quite brilliant display in the field and some overly cautious batting by the experienced Pakistan captain.

Hazan Raza, when he reflects on this match on the way back to Pakistan, will surely rue an innings of undue caution that put his lower order under intense pressure in the final few frenetic overs. When he was finally run out in the 40th over he had scored 44 off 108 deliveries. Whilst the Sri Lankan bowling was extremely accurate and their fielding quite exceptional, a batsmen of his class should have been able to score quicker.

In his defence, Pakistan?s pursuit of Sri Lanka?s 219 was dealt a cruel blow when they lost early wickets and collapsed to 28-3. Ganegama was the architect of this situation with a fine opening spell of 2-13 from 8 overs. Nissanka though was the first to strike when he induced a top edged hook from Pakistan?s other test batsmen, Imran Nazir, in his first over. The catch was comfortably taken by his opening partner who then trapped both Taufeeq Umar (0) and Imran Farhat (4) leg before.

Faisal Iqbal then joined Hasan Raza at the crease. Both decided on a policy of cautious consolidation that left them 51-3 after 20 overs. With the run rate now climbing and Raza still not in single figures, Faisal Iqbal decided to take the initiative by lifting Dhammika over the mid-wicket fence for six. Having engineered some momentum he went on to score 53 in 72 balls (5x4, 1x6).

Just when Iqbal?s innings looked to be turning the game, for the umpteenth occasion in this match, a sprinting Ganegama brilliantly caught him on the square leg boundary. Ending a 96 run partnership, it triggered the fall of two more quick wickets in the 39th and 40th over and was undoubtedly the most crucial moment of the match.

Humayan Farhat (11) mistimed a lofted straight drive and was confidently caught by Kamdambi on the long off fence. Four balls later Raza?s selfish vigil ended when he was run out. His dismissal left the lower order needing to score 7.5 runs per over off the last ten overs with only four wickets remaining.

In front of this noisy home crowd such a task was always going to be difficult. To their credit Babar Naeem (20) and Yasir Arafat (27) didn?t give up. Raising Pakistani hopes with a bold 38 run partnership they had started to unsettle the Sri Lankans. The fielding became frenetic and a couple of catches were dropped.

Babar Naeem was then stupidly run out after his partner set off for a run without calling. When Yasir Arafat was caught and bowled immediately afterwards, Pakistan?s chances of winning had evaporated, the 15 runs required off the final over proving to be far too many for the last pair.

Earlier, the Sri Lankans, after winning the toss and electing to bat on flat but slow paced pitched, were bowled out for 219. They would have scored more if it were not for some appalling running between the wickets. Five run outs in the innings, four of them by Hasan Raza, were unaccepatable. Especially when you consider that only one of them was a direct hit.

Ian Daniels (57) and Pushpakumara (47) were the stars of the Sri Lankan innings, rescuing their side from 79-4 in the 18th over. Together they put on 59 in quick time. Prepared to attack the Pakistan spinners and part-time bowlers, they quickly regained the initiative for the home team. Unfortunately this initiative was squandered, albeit not fatally, by the reckless running between the wickets.