Younis Khan leads Pak to victory

Devastating batting from Younis Khan and Abdur Razzaq followed by a disciplined bowling display ensured Pakistan a 28-run victory against Sri Lanka in the second match of the Morocco Cup triangular tournament in Tangiers on Wednesday.

Khan hammered an unbeaten 56 from 39 balls while Razzaq was even more ruthless, smashing 29 from 11 as they added 50 runs in double quick time to push Pakistan's total to 279 for five from their 50 overs.

Khan's innings included five fours and two sixes, both in the last over which cost Sri Lanka 25 runs. Razzaq also hit a six and a four off seamer Chaminda Vaas in the final over.

In reply Sri Lanka were restricted to 251 for eight and they now face an awkward game against in-form South Africa on Thursday.

Opener Saeed Anwar laid the foundations for Pakistan's daunting total with a controlled 70 from 77 balls which included seven fours and a six.

But it was the ruthlessness of the last 10 overs, which yielded 99 runs, that took the game away from Sri Lanka.

Despite reaching 116 for the loss of just one wicket by the 22nd over, mainly due to captain Sanath Jayasuriya's crisp 36 from 33 balls, Sri Lanka were never able to maintain the required scoring rate and lost wickets regularly.

Opener Marvan Atapattu's pedestrian 42 from 73 balls dragged the run chase down while Kumar Sangakkara (38) and Mahela Jayawardene (32) both required in excess of 50 balls to accumulate their runs.

Earlier Sri Lanka's master spinner Muttiah Muralitharan had fought a lone battle to control Pakistan's batsmen with a crafty return of one for 35 from 10 overs. But the three frontline seamers, Vaas, Pulasthi Gunaratne and Dilhara Fernando conceded 186 runs between them.

Pakistan captain Waqar Younis also endured a torrid day, conceding 77 runs in his 10 overs but Razzaq (3-36), Mohammad Sami (1-39) and Shahid Afridi (1-36) created enough pressure between them to ensure victory.

Mail Cricket Editor