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Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by two wickets in a tense finish to the second one-day international in Dubai yesterday to level the five-match series 1-1. |
Kumar Sangakkara made 58, Dinesh Chandimal 44 and skipper Angelo Mathews hit 47 as Sri Lanka chased a daunting 285-run target on the fourth delivery of the 50th over.
Pakistan’s total of 284-4 in 50 overs was built on a sparkling career-best 124 by opener Ahmed Shehzad while skipper Misbah-ul Haq made an unbeaten 59.
Pakistan won the first match by 11 runs in Sharjah on Wednesday. The third match of the series will be played in Sharjah tomorrow.
Earlier, opener Shehzad's brilliant century helped his side to a competitive total. The 24-year-old right-hander smashed 124 off 140 balls for his fourth one-day century as Pakistan used the favourable conditions at Dubai stadium to their advantage after being sent in by Lankan skipper Mathews.
Shehzad added 76 for the second wicket with Mohamed Hafeez (32) after Pakistan lost Sharjeel Khan for just seven in the second over, leg-before to paceman Lasith Malinga.
Hafeez was run out after a laborious 52-ball knock which featured three boundaries.
Shehzad then added another 105 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (59 not out).
He took a single off Malinga to reach his hundred, which came off 121 balls with the help of six boundaries.
He was finally trapped leg-before by Nuwan Kulasekara in the 46th over.
Misbah, meanwhile, kept the charge going alongside Shahid Afridi (30 not out in 15 balls) as Pakistan scored 92 in the last 10 overs.
Misbah hit two fours and a six in his 34th one-day half-century while Afridi hit two sixes and a boundary.
The Sri Lankan bowlers, who conceded 322 in the first game in Sharjah, kept a tight line and length but were hurt because of injuries to skipper Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera who couldn’t complete their quota of overs.
Pakistan remained unchanged from the last match but Sri Lanka were forced to make two changes, replacing Suranga Lukmal and the injured Lahiru Thirimanne for all-rounder Kulasekara and Dimuth Karunaratne.