Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 4th ODI at Colombo, Jun 16 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary

So Sri Lanka have taken an unassailable lead through this dramatic comeback. Thanks everybody for joining us tonight. We look forward to your company on Monday. Cheers

Mahela Jayawardene walks up with cheers around. He says, "They put on a decent partnership. We needed to be patient, wait for our opportunity. The crowd went silent for a bit too, but with the first wicket they got behind us. I think it all changed with that aggressive over from Lasith. He is a matchwinner, and I put him under a lot of pressure by asking him to possibly bowl seven overs in a row. Also Kumar batted really well. Good to get him back in form. We are still short of our best game, but we'll take this. Thisara is improving every game, learning form each game. Kulasekara too. The whole unit knows their job pretty well."

Misbah-ul-Haq must be a crushed man. He is calm, though. he says, "It was pretty under control. Nothing was happening. The ball was coming on. We need a six an over, and everything was under control. I don't know what happened after that. Everybody is a professional, and everybody should take responsibility. Six an over, seven wickets in hand, Powerplay overs going on, everybody has to take the responsibility. And we can't drop players like Sangakkara."

Time now to listen from those who were out in the middle to tell us what actually went down there. Firstly Man of the Match, Thisara Perera, second in a row. He says: "A special day for me. My first hat-trick. My dream come true. Thank you Mahela Aiyya (for the catch that brought up the hat-trick). Thank you supporters too."

Eventually a comfortable win for Sri Lanka. They can't lose the series here. Azhar Ali carries his bat through, and is now limping off. If an Indian player from the eighties saw this Pakistan effort, he will not believe his eyes. Back then, Pakistan were never beaten until the fat lady had sung her lungs out. Nowadays it's the opposite: you can never say they are there until they have reached there and erected a flag to confirm they are there

Let's not take it away from Sri Lanka. Just look at the difference between the fielding of the two sides' bowlers. Kulasekara is diving and taking catches., Gul dropping sitters. Gul's beneficiary goes on to add 62 off 47 after he is dropped. Kulasekara's catch kicks off a collapse that puts card houses to shame.

Had this been a 35-over game, Pakistan would have won hands down. That happens too often with them nowadays. What is the problem? Concentration? Fitness? Endurance? Attitude? Dav Whatmore has enough to lose his hair about

"Get Kamran Akmal in as specialist batsman. Demote Hafeez down the order and play him as a bowler who can bat," recommends Mohammad Assad. Malinga is back. He can bowl four of these seven overs

Six ducks in this innings - level with the record. Pakistan now have three mentions at the top there. In all, five innings tied with six ducks

"Few days back I said that I may get arrested for making a statement that kamran Akmal should be back in this team. Now I believe that if he is not in next ODI series, selectors should be put behind the bars." Aoun, with his keeping, you will have to have him in as a specialist batsman