Pakistan v Sri Lanka PakTel cup match 1

[Shaka]

I agree with you in theory but the bowler needs to be of sufficiently better quality than the allrounder and Rao doesn't from what I've seen. I'd like to see a few other contenders as well but for the big games we are going with tried and tested. Agreed though we need a specialist 3rd seamer, probably after this series we'll try a few more new faces.

[Shaka]

Sri Lanka finish on 232-9 after 50 overs. Both sides will feel they should have done better with SL being 165-3 after 36 overs and Pakistan's sloppiness in the field giving three lives to SL batsmen not to mention 33 extras. Afridi and Malik were the star performers with the ball Shoaib Akhtar and razzaq looking very lethargic today, maybe because of the extreme heat and humidity with temperatures hitting I00F.

The game will be a close one as this will probably be a competitive total, Jayasuriya feels the wicket is a bit two-paced and with the outfield grass being quite lush, runs will have to be earned. I think Pakistan will get home due to the long batting line up, if the top order can get us off to a decent start. If not then I expect a close finish and it could go either way.

[Shaka]

Ok Pakistan won in a canter by the end - an 8 wkt victory with Youhanna hitting an unbeaten 107 and Shoiab Malik MOM with 86 no and 3 wickets.

Disappointing to see the openers fail again but at least they saw off the new ball which meant that Youhanna and Malik could comfortably turn the score over against Sri Lanka's spinners. I had no idea that Shoaib Malik was such an adept player of spin btw. A very clinical batting performance something not always associated with Pakistan.

Salman Butt looks great but he needs to work on playing with the full face of the bat in the early overs. He is getting out trying to flick straight deliveries to either side of the wicket. Yaasir also out in a similar fashion. guys just keep it straight for the first 12/14 overs! it was definitely a case of getting bogged down by some accurate bowling then playing loose shots trying to break the shackles.

Still a great result all in all.

[Zainub]

National Stadium, Karachi: A near flawless display of batting and a disciplined bowling performance saw Pakistan thump reigning Asian Champions Sri Lanka by a comprehensive margin of 8 wickets here in Karachi at the National Stadium today. Chasing a relatively modest 233 to win they reached their target with little over an over to spare courtesy a record 3rd wicket stand of exactly 200* between centurion Yousuf Youhanna who made 107 not out and man of the match Shoaib Malik who made an equally efficient 86 not out and also took three wickets in addition to inflicting the run out of Sri Lankan opener and top scorer Sanath Jayasuriya who made a restrained 53.



My verdict:

Pakistan > Few can ask for more such was the professionalism with which Pakistan went about their chase today. The openers saw off the new ball adding 33 before both got out within three balls of each other. From then on Malik and Youhanna took the match away from the Lankans playing risk free shots and allowing the game to come to them instead of trying to do something out of the ordinary – their first hundreds runs together featured only 16 runs in boundaries. In the end Pakistan managed to reach their target very comfortably with Youhanna eclipsing the six thousand run mark in the process of making his 10th ODI hundred, his second against Sri Lanka. It is a matter of concern though that Yasir Hameed is struggling to find his form, although given how much I have seen of him already I would give him a more prolonged run and back him to get him self back in form. You are right about Salman Butt though - he has that tendency to play with the edge of tha bat , he should practice batting with the face of it. Looks a fine prospect other wise. The bowlers also did not lose composure even after Sri Lanka had been on top for the first half of their innings – Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi have been bowling well in tandem for Pakistan in recent times and they both bowled well again today as their twenty overs combined yielded just 73 run for 4 wickets. Mohammad Sami and Naveed ul Hassan bowled well without being spectacular and they should be happy with their returns as it was an improvement on their performance against Zimbabwe in Peshawar. Both Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar could have bowled better but all in all restricting Sri Lanka to 233-9 in 50 overs was en effort the team should be satisfied with.


SrI Lanka > Sri Lanka will be hoping they can improve on their performance, their major concern though one feels should be the lack of penetration of their spinners on what looked like a helpful pitch owing to some indifferent pace after recent showers in Karachi. They indifferent form of Avishka Gunewardene might also prompt the selectors to give another chance to Saman Jayantha, in which case they need to decided who Jayasuriya’s opening partner will be. Three of their top order batsmen got a start but not one managed to get a big score, a fact which in the end led to them felling some 15-20 runs short of what would have been a convincing total on that surface. Sri Lanka might argue though that the tournament schedule didn’t give them a proper chance to acclimatize to the conditions; one has the feeling they wouldn’t have minded a warm up game against Zimbabwe before facing the hosts. Now though, everything is history; well played Pakistan and better luck to Sri Lanka next time!

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by SSA.

How are you doing Zainub, long time no speak.

Hi Shalini! Certainly is great to hear from you after such a long time. I've been at the Stumps all the way through (it's a little quite over there these days as most of the regulars are either busy or away so I post here quiet often now-a-days; this is a nice place with good level headed fans. I enjoy it here. How are things on your side?

I look forward to having a good discussion with you soon, Cheers!

[Shaka]

Damn that Wayne Rooney pic! Anyway, from SL point of view, they are going to struggle without Murali on this evidence. Pakistan's spin duo of Afridi and Malik looked far more dangerous. At least Salman will be given another chance as we are through to the final now and the last group match with SL will be a dead rubber. I would bring Rao back for that match and see how he does against a better quality batting line up.

[Zainub]

I'd probably rest one of the first choice eleven as well for the remaining rubber, not sure though who at this stage, probably will decide after I've seen the result of Sri Lanka's remaining matches.

Sri Lanka -with or without Murali - generally struggle away from home. I can't see them doing well against NZ in their away tour later this season - NZ are a good side at home, especially if they prepare one of those greenish unplayable wickets they prepared for their series vs India, there only vulnerable area is against top pace bowlers - they've lost their last two series because of messers Harmison and Akhtar. Sri Lanka unfortunately don't have any. On top of that they field poorly when it's cold. So, I can't see how they can manage to do them selves justice in New Zealand. They should beat Zimbabwe though.