Pakistan vs Sri Lanka – 4th ODI Match Recap – Thisara Perera ruins Pakistan’s party yet again
A red hot Thisara Perera scythed through Pakistan’s middle-order as the visitors lost their last eight wickets for just 33 runs (four going to the belligerent seamer) to crash to a humiliating 44-run thumping at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in the fourth One Day International of the five-match series, at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Saturday, June 16.
Riding on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779’s painstaking 97, the hosts totalled 243 for 8 in their stipulated 50 overs. In reply, the tourists were chasing well at 166 for 2 by the 38th over, before Thisara Perera shattered their hopes of a victory, claiming four wickets and a run-out in his final three overs, to dismiss the opposition for just 199, with five overs to spare.
Opener Azhar Ali top scored for Pakistan with an unbeaten 81, followed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972’s 77-ball 57, while six of Pakistan's batsmen departed for sweet ducks.
Thisara Perera followed up his six-wicket haul in the second one-dayer at Pallekele with a hat-trick at RPS Colombo last night. The bowling all-rounder's hat-trick victims included Younis Khan, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 and gloveman Sarfraz Ahmed. This was the seventh hat-trick registered by a Sri Lankan in ODIs and the first ever against Pakistan, leading to the lanky seamer being declared the Man of the Match for his astounding figures of 4 for 42.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898 broke it, having the latter trapped leg-before-wicket on 24.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LD-Chandimal-c1831 was the next man to depart after contributing 18 runs, bowled out by Mohammad Hafeez in the 26th over. Umar Gul dropped Sangakkara at 35 in the 31st over off Shahid Afridi’s bowling, a slip that Pakistan rued the most later on. The wicketkeeper batsman made full use of the opportunity and notched up his 13th ODI half century five overs later.
The left-hander also shared a century stand with skipper Mahela Jayawardene for the fourth-wicket partnership. The 110-run partnership between the veterans was broken by Sohail Tanvir in the 44th over, when Jayawardene holed out on 40. Sangakkara was unlucky to miss his well deserved ton by just three runs as he was caught by Azhar Ali at deep mid-wicket off Saeed Ajmal’s bowling.
The lower order kept the score board ticking before the hosts wrapped up at 243 for 8 in their allotted quota of 50 overs.
From the Pakistan attack, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohail Tanvir and Saeed Ajmal shared two wickets apiece, while Umar Gul claimed one.
Pakistan’s run chase got off to a tumultuous start when Mohammad Hafeez collected his second successive duck in the series – fifth in his last 12 international innings. Kulasekara kept Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq under check right from the start, conceding just 16 runs in his opening spell of five overs. The duo however kept scoring singles and doubles, and ensured no more loss in the first half century of their innings, which was reached in the 13th over.
After http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SL-Malinga-c2540, things continued to go downhill for the Men in Green in what was to become a surprising defeat.
Thisara Perera registered the first hat-trick of his international career – accounting for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 was sliced to 176 for 8 from 176 for 4.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859 scored a resilient 12 off 14 balls to take the side to 199 before becoming the final prey of the day, and Perera’s fourth.
In an otherwise disappointing show, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Azhar-Ali-c46890 remained unbeaten on 81, a knock which is sure to help cement his place in the roster.
The 44-run win gave the hosts a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with one more to go. The final ODI of the series will be played at the same Colombo venue on Monday, June 18.
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