Sri Lanka earn consolation victory in 3rd ODI against Pakistan, 22 May 2007

Sri Lanka won the third and final match of the One-Day International series against Pakistan by 115 runs in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to claim a consolation victory.

The 2007 World Cup finalist had already lost the Warid Cup series after being defeated by Pakistan in the first two matches.

Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka put up 296/9 from their 50 overs with skipper Mahela Jayawardene top-scoring with 83.

In reply Pakistan were never in the hunt and were bowled out for 181 in the 43rd over.

For the Lankans, Chamara Silva made 64 adding 124 runs with his skipper to steady the innings after Pakistan pacer Iftikhar Anjum had rattled them with three quick wickets.

For the Sri Lanka, Dilhara Fernando was the bowling hero claiming three wickets for 20 runs as Pakistan lost their way.

Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik was the only saving grace scoring 79 not out from 85 balls, including four sixes and four fours.

They were dealt an early jolt as opener Salman Butt lost his wicket to Farveez Maharoof in the third over. Pakistan fought back with Mohammad Hafeez and Yasir Hameed sharing a partnership of 56, but Hafeez was run out for 34.

Sri Lanka then tore into the Pakistani batting as they lost their next four wickets in the space of nine runs, the Pakistanis needing a mountain to climb.

Earlier, Jayawardene and Silva slammed half-centuries to lead their charge.

Having lost the series 0-2 already, Sri Lanka’s regular openers Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya got them off to a strong start.

Pakistan, resting their premier players after pocketing the series, got their first breakthrough in the 11th over as Rao Iftikhar Anjum rattled Jayasuriya’s defences for 19.

Iftikhar Anjum was in the thick of the action in Pakistan’s next two dismissals as well, as he removed Tharanga for a quickfire 40 from 37 balls, and then Chamara Kapugedera for 15 with the Lankan score on 101 for three.

But Jayawardene and Silva took over the reins and built momentum to their tally with some aggressive strokeplay.

Jayawardene struck a typically fluent 83 from just 81 balls including seven fours and two sixes. Silva added 64 to the Sri Lankan score before Tillekaratne Dilshan crashed 28 runs from 14 balls to propel their score to 296.Pakistan rested all-rounders Shahid Afridi for the game after his match-winning efforts in both the earlier games, and Abdul Razzaq, while bowlers Umar Gul and Mohammad Sami, and batsman Imran Nazit, too, warmed the bench. Left-arm spinner Fawad Alam, left-arm medium pacer Najah Shah, Mohammad Hafeez and Rao Iftikhar Anjum made the cut.

Sri Lanka, playing under Tom Moody for the last time, brought back Sanath Jayasuriya and Lasith Malinga, and spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi got his first game of the series.