Sri Lanka rip through Pakistan top order

All predictions of a run-fest and a flurry of boundaries flew out of the window as Sri Lanka destroyed Pakistan's top order with a thoroughly clinical display in the field at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. After 25 overs, Pakistan had lurched to 77 for 6.

There was nothing in the pitch that suggested it would be a struggle for the batsmen - the ball came on to the bat at an even pace, and the bounce was consistent. If Pakistan's batsmen were still all at sea, it was because of some exceptional new-ball bowling by Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa, who set the tone early in the piece.

Time after time, they pitched the ball perfectly around off stump, just short of a driving length, with a packed off-side field. Yasir Hameed, normally so fluent on the drive, struggled to get the ball off the square, repeatedly squirting the ball straight to the fielders. He laboured to 2 off 28 balls, before charging down the wicket and thumping Vaas for six over long-on to reach to 8 off 29.

That, though, was a rare show of bravado. Imran Nazir, in the side for the injured Imran Farhat, wasted the opportunity, guiding one from Zoysa to Mahela Jayawardene at slip almost as if offering him catching practice (19 for 1). Shoaib Malik, centurion in the last match, came in at No. 3 again, but managed just 4 before slashing a drive straight to Tillakaratne Dilshan at point.

That brought Inzamam to the crease, and the prospect of a key battle as Atapattu gave the ball to Muttiah Muralitharan. Murali needed just three balls to nail the contest - he tossed one up, Inzamam came down the pitch but only managed to convert it into a yorker, which he jammed onto his boot, and watched in utter disbelief as the ball trickled back to the stumps (45 for 3).

Then came another moment of madness from a Pakistan batsman. Yousuf Youhana played the third ball he faced defensively to silly point and, for some reason, wandered down the pitch. That was a huge mistake, for Dilshan snapped the ball up, and, showing keen presence of mind, threw down the stumps with Youhana still out of the crease. When Younis Khan wafted at one and was snaffled by Jayawardene at a wide slip, Pakistan had lost three wickets in ten balls for seven runs.

Hameed and Abdul Razzaq resisted briefly, but only with huge slices of luck: Hameed survived a close stumping chance off Upul Chandana, and, just three balls later, was saved from being trapped in front by an extremely marginal no-ball call. His luck soon ran out, though, when he chanced a sharp single in the next over. Chandana, denied in the previous over, swooped on the ball from short square leg and rifled in a return which left Hameed just short of safety (72 for 6). Hameed's 22 consumed all of 59 balls.

Moin Khan and Razzaq had often bailed Pakistan out in the past. Could they do a repeat act here?