Misbah, Akmal lead Pakistan to victory
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal cracked half-centuries under pressure as Pakistan virtually booked a place in the Asia Cup final with an emphatic six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Pakistan were struggling at 33-3 before Misbah (72 not out) and Akmal (77) added 152 for the fourth wicket to help their team reach the modest 189-target with more than 10 overs to spare in the day-night match in Dhaka.
Fast bowler Aizaz Cheema (4-43) and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (3-27) also played important roles in Pakistan's second successive victory by restricting Sri Lanka to a small total.
"It was a really good partnership between me and Akmal," said Misbah.
"It was important for me to get my confidence back. We have to be more consistent with the bat as the bowling is always keeping us in the hunt."
Sri Lanka, who lost to India in their opening match, were in desperate need of a win as they chase a spot in the final but were let down by their batsmen.
Only Kumar Sangakkara (71) and Upul Tharanga (57) made any impression with the bat against the Pakistani attack.
Pakistan lost three wickets in the opening 13 overs of their reply, with paceman Suranga Lakmal taking two and leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna one, before Misbah and Akmal took charge.
The Pakistani captain hit one six and nine fours in his 93-ball knock while Akmal, who was dropped on 46, struck two sixes and seven boundaries from 72 balls.
Sri Lanka, electing to bat, were earlier well-placed at 161-4 following a 96-run fifth-wicket stand between former skipper Sangakkara and Tharanga but they lost their last six wickets for just 27 runs.
"Batting first, we felt 250-260 would have been a good score," said Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene.
"We had a good start but lost too many wickets and exposed our lower middle order. They bowled really well and had a much better game than us today."
Ajmal started the slide when he bowled Tharanga. He also removed Farveez Maharoof and last-man Lakmal.
Cheema, who conceded 21 runs in his first two overs, came back strongly to dismiss openers Jayawardene (12) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (20) in quick succession before removing Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga.
The Pakistani bowlers were well backed up by their fielders, with Younis Khan taking a superb catch to his left in the slips to account for Dinesh Chandimal off Umar Gul.
Sri Lanka raced to 33 in the opening five overs but were reduced to 65-4, with Cheema taking two wickets and Gul and Hammad Azam one apiece.
Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 21 runs and India beat Sri Lanka by 50 runs in their opening matches.
Each side plays the others once in the round-robin league, with the top two advancing to the final on March 22.
Sri Lanka innings
M. Jayawardene c Mohammad Hafeez b Aizaz Cheema 12
T. Dilshan c Saeed Ajmal b Aizaz Cheema 20
K. Sangakkara b Aizaz Cheema 71
D. Chandimal c Younus Khan b Umar Gul 0
L. Thirimanne c Umar Akmal b Hammad Azam 7
U. Tharanga b Saeed Ajmal 57
F. Maharoof c Misbah-ul-Haq b Saeed Ajmal 2
N. Kulasekara c Sarfraz Ahmed b Umar Gul 4
S. Prasanna not out 5
L. Malinga b Aizaz Cheema 1
S. Lakmal c Nasir Jamshed b Saeed Ajmal 0
Extras (lb-5 w-4) 9
Total (all out; 45.4 overs) 188
Fall of wickets: 1-33 2-43 3-47 4-65 5-161 6-165 7-172 8-182
9-187 10-188
Bowling: Umar Gul 8-1-20-2 (w-2), Aizaz Cheema 9-0-43-4
(w-2), Mohammad Hafeez 10-0-40-0, Hammad Azam 4-0-21-1, Saeed
Ajmal 8.4-1-27-3, Shahid Afridi 6-0-32-0
Pakistan innings
Mohammad Hafeez c Chandimal b Prasanna 11
Nasir Jamshed c Tharanga b Lakmal 18
Younus Khan c Maharoof b Lakmal 2
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 72
Umar Akmal c Tharanga c Maharoof 77
Hammad Azam not out 4
Extras (lb-1 w-2 nb-2) 5
Total (four four wickets; 39.5 overs) 189
Fall of wickets: 1-29 2-31 3-33 4-185
Did not bat: Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Gul, Saeed
Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema
Bowling: L. Malinga 8-1-44-0, N. Kulasekara 7-2-22-0, S.
Lakmal 8-1-37-2 (nb-2), S. Prasanna 7.5-1-49-1, F. Maharoof
7-0-23-1(w-2), T. Dilshan 2-0-13-0
Result: Pakistan won by six wickets