Pakistan wins 5th ODI courtesy of Umar Akmal – Cricket News Update
Winning the 5th and last ODI of the series, Pakistan signed-off on a winning note at http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imtiaz-Sheikh-c64290 Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, defeating Sri Lanka by three wickets with 16 balls to spare.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Akmal-c94595 played a gem of an innings, as the hosts avoided a batting debacle to clinch the five match series 4-1. Akmal, who scored 61 runs, remained unbeaten till the end and it was he who struck the winning shot. The 21-year-old
was declared the Man of the Match for his heroics, while Shahid Afridi was adjourned the Player of the Series.
Pakistan were set a doggy target of 218 by Sri Lanka. The hosts did not have the start that they were counting on as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c76898, was back in the pavilion with just 25
runs on the board.
Pakistanis were further pushed into the dark when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Asad-Shafiq-c46208 in front of the stumps. The make shift opener scaled 26 runs, which included three boundaries.
Seeing the side slip, skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Younis-Khan-c98325 started the rebuilding phase. The duo slowly and steadily dragged their team out of the difficult situation and amassed 62 runs in the process.
Lankans however, found themselves back in the match courtesy of Jeevan Mendis, who took two wickets, that of Younis and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shoaib-Malik-c90088, on two consecutive deliveries. It seemed as if the Pakistani batting brigade would self explode,
but Akmal along with his skipper showed nerves of steel and put on 84 runs for the fifth wicket. Sri Lankan bowlers were helpless while the duo was at the centre.
There was a ray of hope for the Lankan team when Mendis removed the Pakistani skipper, and five runs later http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 back to the dressing room. However, Akmal was not to be denied the glory, despite losing
partners, he stood tall and saw his side through to the finish line.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758’s tour is not over and done with as yet. The tourist still have a chance to make amends by winning the solitary Twenty20 match which is scheduled to be played at the same venue on Friday, November 25.
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