Pakistan series win 'Eid gift' to fans, says Azhar Ali

Ahmed Shehzad smashed 95 off 90 balls as Pakistan thrashed below-par Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the fourth one-day match in Colombo on Wednesday to clinch the five-match series.

Mohammad Hafeez chipped in with 70 as the tourists surpassed Sri Lanka's 256-9 in the 41st over at the Premadasa stadium to take a decisive 3-1 lead in the series.

The series win kept Azhar Ali's Pakistan in contention for a place in the eight-nation Champions Trophy in England in 2017.

Pakistan are two points ahead of the West Indies at number eight in the rankings, but both teams are due to play a tri-series in Zimbabwe next month that will determine the final spot.

Pakistan's one-day success follows their 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka in the preceding Test series under Misbah-ul Haq's captaincy.

Skipper Azhar Ali said the series win was the team's gift to the people of Pakistan who celebrated the holy Muslim festival of Eid last week.

"This is our Eid gift to our fans," he said. "With the Champions Trophy qualification in mind, every game becomes important, so we want to win the final game also.

"Credit is due to the bowlers who kept the pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen. And then Shehzad and Hafeez batted so well to bring us victory."

Sri Lanka are assured of taking part in the Champions Trophy, but their lacklustre display did not do justice to the former world champions.

Sri Lanka's captain Angelo Mathews said he was disappointed by the loss because his team did not put enough runs on the board despite a good start.

"There was no real penetration in our bowling attack," he said. "We also did not take the chances that came our way. But we are determined to end the series on a winning note.

"We need to play positive cricket and get out of the hole we have dug ourselves in."

Shehzad and Azhar put Pakistan on the road to victory with an opening stand of 75 in 11 overs before the skipper was removed by sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga for 33.

Hafeez helped Shehzad build on the fine start by adding 115 for the second wicket, but Sri Lanka hit back to remove both batsmen in the space of 23 runs.

Shehzad fell five runs short of his fourth one-day century when he cut seamer Suranga Lakmal to a diving Kusal Perera at third man. He hit 12 boundaries and a six.

Hafeez was caught behind by Dinesh Chandimal off spinner Milinda Siriwardana to leave Pakistan on 213-3, but Sri Lanka's recovery came too late.

Shoaib Malik hit a 16-ball 29 and ended the match by lofting Siriwardana over mid-wicket for his fourth six. Sarfraz Ahmed remained unbeaten on 17.

Earlier, Lahiru Thirimanne top-scored with 90 for Sri Lanka after skipper Angelo Mathews won the toss for the first time on Pakistan's current tour and elected to bat.

The left-hander put on 109 for the second wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan (50) after Perera had been dismissed by Mohammad Irfan off the second ball of the match.

Thirimanne missed his fifth one-day century when he swept leg-spinner Yasir Shah to deep square-leg, where Shehzad picked up a low catch to make amends for a dropped catch in the bowler's previous over.

Besides Thirimanne and Dilshan, none of the other top-order batsmen settled in as Mathews fell for 12 and Dinesh Chandimal was dismissed after making 20.

Tailender Malinga smashed 17 off 13 balls at the end to ensure Sri Lanka crossed the 250-run mark.
Irfan finished with three wickets, while fellow seamer Anwar Ali took two.

The fifth match will be played in Hambantota on Sunday.

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka:
K. Perera c Imad b Irfan 0
T. Dilshan b Imad 50
L. Thirimanne c Shehzad b Yasir 90
A. Mathews c Yasir b Rahat 12
D. Chandimal c Yasir b Irfan 20
A. Priyanjan c Hafeez b Anwar 18
M. Siriwardana c Rizwan b Anwar 19
S. Pathirana run out 14
L. Malinga c Rizwan b Irfan 17
S. Lakmal not out 1
N. Pradeep not out 0
Extras: (b4, lb1, w8, nb2) 15
Total (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 256
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Perera), 2-109 (Dilshan), 3-143 (Mathews), 4-170 (Chandimal), 5-186 (Thirimanne), 6-215 (Siriwardana), 7-228 (Priyanjan), 8-243 (Pathirana), 9-252 (Malinga).
Bowling: Irfan 10-0-50-3 (nb2, w2), Anwar 7-0-41-2 (w4), Rahat 7-0-39-1 (w2), Yasir 10-0-50-1, Azhar 2-0-13-0, Imad 10-0-43-1, Malik 4-0-15-0.

Pakistan:
Azhar Ali c sub (Senanayake) b Malinga 33
Ahmed Shehzad c Perera b Lakmal 95
Mohammad Hafeez c Chandimal b Siriwardana 70
Sarfraz Ahmed not out 17
Shoaib Malik not out 29
Extras: (b4, w9) 13
Total (for three wickets, 40.5 overs) 257
Fall of wickets: 1-75 (Azhar), 2-190 (Shehzad), 3-213 (Hafeez).
Bowling: Malinga 9-2-46-1, Lakmal 8-0-50-1 (w3), Pathirana 10-0-81-0, Pradeep 2.2-0-9-0 (w1), Mathews 2.4-0-9-0 (w2), Siriwardana 5.5-0-28-1, Dilshan 3-0-30-0 (w3).

Pakistan won by seven wickets, lead 3-1 in five-match series
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Raveendra Wimalasiri (SRI) and Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

Malik clubs Siriwardana for his fourth six for the winning hit as Pakistan romp to a seven-wicket victory.

Chasing a target of 257, Pakistan made 257-3 in 40.5 overs to take an unassailable 3-1 series lead.

Pakistan were powered by half centuries from Shehzad (95) and Hafeez (70) with Malik being unbeaten on a 16-ball 29.

Pakistan are racing to victory with Malik smashing a couple of sixes off Pathirana and Siriwardana. Pak 235-3, 39 overs.

Siriwardana strikes beating Hafeez in flight as he comes down the track. Pak 213-3, 36.1 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez c Chandimal b Siriwardana 70 (88b 8x4 1x6)

Kusal takes a superb catch at third man to dismiss Shehzad who upper cuts Lakmal. Pak 190-2, 31.2 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad c Perera b Lakmal 95 (90b 12x4 1x6)

Thirimanne fails to hold onto an overhead catch off Shehzad who complete his half century off 46 balls. Pak 92-1, 14 overs.

Sri Lanka finally get a breakthrough as Azhar gives Malinga the charge and slices it to third man. Pak 75-1, 11.1 overs.

Azhar Ali c sub (Sachithra Senanayake) b Malinga 33 (28b 4x4 0x6)

Pakistan are in cruise control at the end of the Powerplay overs chasing 257. Pak 75-0, 11 overs.

Shehzad is on fire cracking three boundaries off Pathirana. Pak 65-0, 8 overs.

Shehzad sizzles welcoming left-arm spinner Pathirana with a straight driven six.

Azhar picks up a couple of boundaries off Lakmal, one off an inside edge. Pak 35-0, 4 overs.

Shehzad gets into the act crashing Malinga through point for his first boundary. SL 25-0, 3 overs.

Azhar hits the first boundary of the innings flicking Lakmal to long leg. Pak 11-0, 2 overs.

Sri Lanka innings

Sri Lanka recovered from a disastrous start to post 256-9 after losing Kusal Perera without a run on the board.

Dilshan (50) and Thirimanne (90) shared in a 109-run stand for the second wicket but their innings failed to gather any momentum.

Irfan claimed three for 50 and Ali two for 41.

Malinga departs after playing a useful hand. SL 252-9, 49.3 overs.

Lasith Malinga c Mohammad Rizwan b Mohammad Irfan 17 (13b 2x4 1x6)

Malinga is turning it on whacking Ali for a massive six. SL 252-8, 49 overs.

Pathiriana is run out by a direct hit from Anwar. SL 243-8, 48.1 overs.

Sachith Pathirana run out 14 (13b 1x4 0x6)

Malinga hammers two consecutive boundaries off Irfan on either side of the wicket. SL 243-7, 48 overs.

Priyanjan is undone by a slower ball from Ali and fails to clear the infield. SL 228-7, 46.3 overs.

Ashan Priyanjan c Mohammad Hafeez b Anwar Ali 18 (28b 0x4 0x6)

Rizwan takes a brilliant catch at point to remove the dangerous Siriwardana. SL 215-6, 44.3 overs.

Milinda Siriwardana c Mohammad Rizwan b Anwar Ali 19 (11b 2x4 1x6)

Siriwardana makes his intentions clear pulling a short pitched delivery from Rahat over midwicket for the first six of the match. SL 206-5, 43 overs.

Shehzad atones for his earlier miss by taking a brilliant catch in the deep to dismiss Thirimanne. SL 186-5, 41.1 overs.

Lahiru Thirimanne c Ahmed Shehzad b Yasir Shah 90 (126b 5x4 0x6)

Thirimanne (85) survives attempting a slog sweep off Yasir and Shehzad fails to latch onto it. SL 179-4, 39.2 overs.

Another one for Pakistan after the drinks break as the in-form Chandimal perishing. SL 170-4, 36 overs.

Chandimal c Yasir Shah b Mohammad Irfan 20 (21b 1x4 0x6)

Mathews tries to break the shackles only to miscue Rahat to mid-off. SL 143-3, 30.4 overs.

Angelo Mathews c Yasir Shah b Rahat Ali 12 (23b 0x4 0x6)

Pakistan get a breakthrough as Wasim sneaking one through Dilshan. SL 109-2, 22.3 overs.

TM Dilshan b Imad Wasim 50 (59b 3x4 0x6)

Thirimanne aslo notches his second consecutive half century.

Dilshan completes a fluent half century. SL 106-1, 22 overs.

Thirimanne also gets into his stride swinging Irfan to fine leg for a boundary.

Dilshan cracks consecutive boundaries off Anwar punching down the ground on the on side and then driving through the covers. SL 11-1, 2 overs.

Sri Lanka are off to the worst possible start as Irfan strikes with the second ball of the match, Kusal chipping to cover. SL 01-, 0.2 overs.

Kusal Perera c Imad Wasim b Mohammad Irfan 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to bat first.

Pakistan are unchanged while Sri Lanka have made a couple of changes with Ashan Priyanjan and Suranga Lakmal replacing Thisara Perera and Upul Tharanga.

Teams

Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, TM Dilshan, Lahiry Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Milinda Siriwardana, Sachith Pathirana, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal

Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan

Sri Lanka's cricket authorities announced a ban on alcohol during Wednesday's fourth one-day international between Pakistan and the hosts following a drunken riot at the venue on Sunday.

Sri Lanka Cricket said unruly behaviour will be dealt with severely as a response to crowd unrest that held up play for 30 minutes at the Premadasa stadium, delaying Pakistan's victory to lead the five-match series 2-1.

Items banned according to a cricket board statement include hooters, liquor, glass bottles, sharp objects, lighters and boxes of matches.

"Any unruly behaviour by any spectator will be severely dealt with and may even be subject to eviction from the grounds," the statement added.

Police cleared two blocks of stands at the Premadasa stadium during a match played under lights after a drunken brawl led to pelting of stones into the outer field that threatened the safety of players.

However, the authorities decided to hold the fourth ODI at the same venue in Colombo after the authorities arrested four suspects and stepped up security in the area.

No players were hurt on Sunday but Sri Lanka's sporting image suffered a blow with the local media blaming the authorities for not taking action to prevent the unprecedented clashes.

A dozen vehicles were damaged and several bystanders were also hurt.

However, Pakistan players and supporters declined to blame Sri Lankan authorities and fans at large for the disturbance, instead pointing the finger at a small group of spectators.
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.