Sri Lanka extinguish Afridi fireworks to level series

Shahid Afridia

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka doused some late  Shahid Afridi fireworks to produce an electrifying 25-run  victory over Pakistan in the second one-day international at the  Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.  

Sri Lanka appeared to be coasting to victory as they left  Pakistan reeling on 11 for three and again on 169 for eight,  despite a patient 91 by Umar Akmal.   

But the arrival of “Boom Boom” Afridi at the crease in the  38th over appeared to swing the momentum back Pakistan’s way as  the explosive batsman rode his luck to get the run chase down to  less than a run a ball. Afridi benefited from a dropped catch in the 41st over and a  close run out appeal just nine balls later as he tormented the  Sri Lankan fielders by clobbering the ball all over the ground. 
  

Shahid Afridia

However, just when it seemed as if Afridi would destroy the  opposition with a stunning display of power-hitting,  Tillakaratne Dilshan stopped him in his tracks by sprinting in  from backward point to score a direct hit on the stumps with a  one-handed throw.

As Afridi tucked his bat under his arm to trudge back to the  pavilion having scored 29 off 14 deliveries, Pakistan supporters  knew their chances of going 2-0 up in the series were all but  over as they still needed 37 runs from 39 balls with just one  wicket remaining.
  
Within minutes it was all over for Pakistan as former Sri  Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara punished the batsmen for trying  to take an extra run following an overthrow.   
 
Sangakkara scooped up the ball following the misfield and  ran out Aizaz Cheema with another direct hit as Pakistan were  all out with 21 balls to spare. Earlier Upul, Tharanga started brightly and capitalised on  two let-offs — he was dropped at cover on 15 and again on 31 —  as he notched up a well-timed 77 to set Sri Lanka on their way  to a respectable total of 235 for seven off their 50 overs.  Mahela Jayawardene picked up the pace for the World Cup  runners-up when they were stalling around the halfway stage and  chipped in with 50, stroking five boundaries.   

The third one-dayer in the five-match series will take place  in Dubai on Friday.   

Scoreboard
Sri Lanka innings 
U. Tharanga c Younus Khan b Shahid Afridi        77   
T. Dilshan b Shahid Afridi                                             28   
K. Sangakkara c and b Abdul Razzaq                          5   
D. Chandimal b Saeed Ajmal                                        15   
M. Jayawardene b Saeed Ajmal                                 50   
A. Mathews c Sarfraz Ahmed b Aizaz  Cheema        3   
J. Mendis not out                                                              17   
T. Perera st Sarfraz Ahmed b Saeed Ajmal             13   
L. Malinga not out                                                              2   
Extras (lb-8, w-16, nb-1)                                               25   
Total (seven wickets, 50 overs)                              235  
Did not bat: S. Prasanna, D. Fernando   
Fall of wickets: 1-56 2-65 3-94 4-179 5-189 6-210 7-233   
Bowling: Gul 7-1-35-0 (1nb, 5w), Cheema 8-0-56-1 (4w), Ajmal  10-0-61-3 (5w), Razzaq 7-1-18-1 (1w), Afridi 10-1-35-2, Hafeez  8-1-22-0    
    
Pakistan innings   
Mohammad Hafeez c Sangakkara b Malinga           4   
Imran Farhat lbw b Perera                                            3   
Younus Khan c Sangakkara b Malinga                      0   
Misbah-ul-Haq lbw b Fernando                                 21   
Umar Akmal c Chandimal b Fernando                   91   
Abdul Razzaq run out                                                    11   
Sarfraz Ahmed lbw b Malinga                                    24   
Shahid Afridi run out                                                    29   
Umar Gul lbw b Perera                                                   0   
Saeed Ajmal not out                                                        8   
Aizaz Cheema run out                                                    6   
Extras (b-1, lb-5, w-7)                                                 13   
Total (all out, 46.3 overs)                                       210   
Fall of wickets: 1-4 2-4 3-11 4-75 5-102 6-164 7-164 8-169  9-199 10-210   
Bowling: Malinga 9-0-36-3 (5w), Perera 9-1-30-2, Fernando  9-0-54-2 (2w),
Prasanna 9.3-1-38-0, Dilshan 1-0-3-0, Mendis  9-0-43-0