Saturday, 8 March 2014

Malinga's triple strike rocks Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga struck in his successive overs to dismiss Pakistani openers Sharjeel Khan and Ahmed Shehzad cheaply in the Asia Cup final at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Scorecard


Sharjeel started off Pakistan innings with a boundary and hammered another one before being removed on the last delivery of the first over after skipper Misbah-ul-Haq decided to bat first.


Pakistan had fitness worries over Shahid Afridi and Ahmed Shehzad but both passed fitness test ahead of the match.


Sharjeel Khan and Junaid Khan have returned to the Pakistan team, replacing Sohaib Maqsood and Abdur Rehman.


Sri Lanka have surprisingly omitted mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis and brought back Lasith Malinga, who was rested against Bangladesh.


Defending champions Pakistan bounced back after the loss against Sri Lanka to qualify for the final with three successive victories against Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh.


The mercurial Afridi fashioned two tense last-over wins, slamming an 18-ball 34 against India before making an astonishing 59 off 25 balls against Bangladesh.


Sri Lankan, on the other hand, are yet to lose a match in the mega event of the sub-continent and they would hope that their campaign culminates with the title.


Sri Lanka would look to do the things quietly with all the buzz surrounding Afridi.


Teams:


Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan


Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ashan Priyanjan, Angelo Mathews, Chathuranga de Silva, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga






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