Explosive half centuries by skipper Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan
and a splendid bowling performance by Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan
beat Sri Lanka by 33 runs in their Super Eight match of the Twenty20 cricket
World Cup here on Monday.
After posting a formidable total of 189 for six wickets, Pakistan restricted the
Lankans to 156 runs for the loss of nine wickets for a crucial victory which earned
them two points.
Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardena inserted Pakistan
in and seasoned campaigner Chaminda Vass and Dilhara Fernando made life
difficult for the rival batsmen with their accurate bowling.
Fernando scalped Salman Butt (12) and Mohammed Hafeez (10)
while Vass dismissed Imran Nazir (7) to leave Pakistan tottering at 33 for three
in 5.5 overs.
However, the experienced duo of Younis (51 off 35 balls) and
Malik (57 off 31 balls) shouldered the responsibility well to build a 101-run
partership for the fourth wicket by playing some breathtaking shots.
Playing aggressively, Younis, who was later adjudged man-of-the-match,
hit two fours and three sixes for his half century before being caught by Tilekaratne
Dilshan off Lasith Malinga.
With five overs left, Shahid Afridi joined Malik and both of
them continued the blitzkrieg until Malinga-Dilshan tango worked again to plot
Pakistan captain's downfall. Malik hit four boundaries and two sixes during
his entertaining knock.
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