COLOMBO - Pakistan all-rounder Anwar Ali played a blinder of an innings of 46 off just 17 deliveries in order to help Pakistan pull out a thrilling victory against hosts Sri Lanka in the second and final T20I match at the R Premadasa Stadium Saturday.
Shahid Afridi too had played a crucial captain’s knock of 45 off just 22 deliveries to help Pakistan achieve the target. Earlier, Sri Lanka skipper, Lasith Malinga won the toss and elected to bat first as they finished on a challenging total of 172 for the loss of seven wickets, courtesy of big knock from Chamara Kapugedara of 48, and also Shehan Jayasuriya’s crucial knock of 40. Sri Lanka made a couple of changes, with Angelo Mathews missed out due to injury and Shehan Jayasuriya replaced him, while Kithuruwan Vithanage was replaced by Dasun Shanaka, as Pakistan moved in with an unchanged squad.
Pakistan, started their chase on a shaky note as they lost their very first wicket in the third over with just 11 on board, as opener, Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed for mere seven by fast-bowler, Binura Fernando. Just three bolls later, it was Mukhtar Ahmed, who too was dismissed in the same over by the same man for mere four after being caught by Kapugedara. Out came the pair of Mohammad Haferez and Shoaib Malik, but with just 17 added to the total, it was Hafeez who was unfortunately run out for mere 11 as the score read 33 for the loss of three.
Umar Akmal was the next man in, but was too unfortunately run out for mere four. He was soon followed by Shoaib Malik, who was stumped on eight by Kusal Perera off Milinda Siriwardana. However, it was the fresh pair of skipper, Shahid Afridi and Mo Rizwan that re-ignited an almost lost hope for Pakistan and kept the flame burning as they contributed an impressive 61 runs, with Afridi smashing the ball all over the park, before Rizwan was dismissed for 17 by Thisara Perea. Nevertheless, it was the 15th over, when the score read 107, Afridi was dismissed of a new bowler change in the form of Jayasuriya, who bowled him up off his very first delivery in international cricket as Afridi departed for 45 off just 22 deliveries, while Sri Lanka seemed to have made a comeback to the game.
However, it was the next pair of Imad Wasim and Anwar Ali that pulled out the unthinkable and broke several Sri Lankan hearts. They contributed a massive 58-run stand for the eighth wicket, courtesy of some real big hitting from Anwar Ali. With three fours and four sixes, Anwar scored runs in a flurry, smashing every possible delivery out of the park or a boundary. The 19th over from Malinga saw him getting caught behind by Kusal Perera for 46 off just 17 deliveries, followed by a run out in the form of Sohail Tanvir for a mere single in a desperate attempt to give the strike back to Imad Wasim.
The final over saw M Irfan come in as it was just six required to win, as he takes a single to give the strike to Imad Wasim, and the very next ball was dispatched over the long on for a six as it counted as the winning runs and Pakistan pulled out a thriller, winning by just a wicket and making a clean sweep of 2-0 in the T20I series.
Anwar was declared Man of the Match. Anwar said he was not intimidated by the bowling and was determined to hit everything out of the park. "I'm not playing Malinga, I'm playing the ball," he said. "I just watched the ball."
Shoaib Malik won the Player of the Series award. "Especially in your last years, you enjoy your cricket more. That's what I'm doing. When you're playing as an all-rounder, you have to be ready for all these situations (bowling in the Powerplay). It's very good (to play in T20 leagues). You travel all over the world, meet different people, learn a lot," said Malik.
Pakistan captain Afridi said: "170 was a chaseable total. We panicked early on, didn't play well early on. Awesome innings from Imad Wasim and Anwar Ali. Hopefully they will do really well in the future for the team."
If I don't perform while bowling, there is more responsibility as captain (when I bat). I've got an excellent bunch of guys. We have the next series against Zimbabwe, we will try some other youngsters as well, but this victory was very important for us. No more Mahela, no more Sangakkara, so Malinga is trying his best with these youngsters. The more they play, the more they will learn and improve. Thanks to the Sri Lankan board for their hospitality, and thanks to the crowd also."
Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga was left once again blaming himself for the defeat. "I should have bowled well for the team. Today I didn't do that. I'm happy for the young players. Sri Lanka have a good future with their cricket. We had to get (Shahid Afridi) out early, Shehan has lot of experience in domestic cricket, that's why I brought him on."
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA:
K Perera b Malik 19
T Dilshan c Hafeez b Anwar 10
S Jayasuriya c Imad b Tanvir 40
D de Silva b Afridi 14
T Perera st Rizwan b Malik 1
M Siriwardana c Mukhtar b Irfan 23
C Kapugedera not out 48
D Shanaka run out 7
EXTRAS: (lb3, w7) 10
TOTAL: (7 wkts, 20 overs) 172
FOW: 1-24, 2-32, 3-61, 4-64, 5-90, 6-145, 7-172
BOWLING: Anwar 4-0-40-1 (w1), Tanvir 4-0-44-1 (w1), Malik 3-0-16-2, Irfan 4-0-31-1, Afridi 4-0-30-1, Imad 1-0-8-0 (w5)
PAKISTAN:
Mukhtar Ahmed c Kapugedera b Fernando 4
Ahmed Shehzad b Fernando 7
M Hafeez run out 11
Shoaib Malik st K Perera b Siriwardana 8
Umar Akmal run out 4
M Rizwan b T Perera 17
Shahid Afridi b Jayasuriya 45
Imad Wasim not out 24
Anwar Ali c K Perera b Malinga 46
Sohail Tanvir run out 1
M Irfan not out 1
Extras: (lb1, w5) 6
TOTAL: (9 wkts; 19.2 overs) 174
FOW: 1-11, 2-16, 3-33, 4-40, 5-40, 6-101, 7-107, 8-165, 9-167
BOWLING: B Fernando 3.2-0-33-2, S Jayasuriya 4-0-37-1, T Perera 4-0-27-1, M Siriwardana 2-0-17-1, J Vandersay 2-0-19-0, L Malinga 4-0-40-1
Toss: Sri Lanka
UMPIRES: Raveendra Wimalasiri (SRI) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
TV UMPIRE: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
MATCH REFEREE: Javagal Srinath (IND)