http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – Cricket News Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 (UAE) on Friday, November 25,
2011.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 141 runs in 19.3 overs after skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan opted to bat first at the toss.
However, the visitors managed to cause a few problems for the Pakistani batsmen during the run chase and the game could have gone either way with 23 runs required off the last 12 overs.
The 19th over of the innings was crucial for both sides and it was bowled by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CRD-Fernando-c1292 for Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, Afridi was on strike and he had quietly managed eight runs off nine balls until that stage of the innings.
With http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SL-Malinga-c2540 due to bowl the last over of the innings, Afridi knew that his side needed to score maximum runs in the penultimate over.
Fernando attempted a slower ball, but the veteran batsman was up to the mark, as he picked it up and clobbered it to the long on boundary for a six.
This put a lot of pressure on the fielding side, but the bowler bounced back with a dot ball. However, he was once again hammered into the crowd for a gigantic six by Afridi.
Although the 31-year-old got dismissed in that over, his massive strikes put Pakistan in control and Misbah easily got the victory in the final over.
The 37-year-old said, “At one point of time it became difficult, but Afridi's two sixes in the 19th over turned the tables in our favour and it's remarkable to win all three forms of the game against a top ranked team.”
On the other hand, the dejected Sri Lankan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691 also credited Afridi for winning the match with those might sixes to Fernando.
The 35-year-old stated, “We couldn't capitalise on a good start but still we had Pakistan in trouble before Afridi hit two sixes.”
Dilshan’s captaincy might come under the scanner after the series against Pakistan where he only managed to win a single One Day International (ODI) during the entire tour.
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