Perera powers Sri Lanka to 7-wicket victory

Perera grabbed 4—34 and tore through Pakistan’s batting line-up with lively short pitched deliveries to restrict the visitors to 102 in 32.1 overs

August 30, 2014 05:11 pm | Updated 05:11 pm IST - DAMBULLA:

Sri Lankan bowler Thisara Perera grabbed 4—34 and tore through Pakistan’s batting line-up with lively short pitched deliveries to restrict the visitors to 102 in 32.1 overs at Dambulla on Saturday. File photo

Sri Lankan bowler Thisara Perera grabbed 4—34 and tore through Pakistan’s batting line-up with lively short pitched deliveries to restrict the visitors to 102 in 32.1 overs at Dambulla on Saturday. File photo

All-rounder Thisara Perera led Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory on the Duckworth/Lewis Method against Pakistan in the series deciding third and final one-day international on Saturday.

Perera grabbed 4—34 and tore through Pakistan’s batting line-up with lively short pitched deliveries to restrict the visitors to 102 in 32.1 overs; Pakistan’s second lowest ever ODI total against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s target was revised to 101 after rain intervened, in between a flurry of Pakistan wickets, and the match was cut to 48 overs a side.

The home team raced to 104—3 in 18.2 overs with Tillakaratne Dilshan scoring an unbeaten 50 off 55 balls, raising his half century by hitting the winning boundary.

“The bowlers set the tone, Dhammika and Malinga early and then Thisara,” said Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews. “The pitch was doing a little bit in the early hours and then it flattened out a little bit, but when you’re chasing 100 you should play positive cricket and not block.”

Perera, who scored a blazing half century and also took three wickets in Sri Lanka’s series leveling 77—run victory last Tuesday, was again instrumental in restricting Pakistan to a low total.

Fawad Alam top scored with an unbeaten 38 but wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals which negated Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s decision to bat first after winning the toss.

“The wicket had a bit spongy bounce ... if you scored 240 or 250 that would have been useful,” Misbah said. “But we lost too many early wickets and could not recover.”

Perera tested the visitors’ susceptibility against short deliveries by dismissing Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal cheaply before taking a brilliant running catch in the deep to dismiss Shahid Afridi.

The inclusion of Dhammika Prasad for the first time in the series provided Sri Lanka a perfect start as the medium fast bowler got success in the third over when he found the thick edge of Sharjeel Khan for a duck.

Lasith Malinga then trapped Mohammad Hafeez leg before wicket and Ahmed Shehzad played a rash pull and offered a simple catch at mid-on which reduced Pakistan to 14—3.

Misbah’s lean batting form continued as he prodded to 18 off 30 balls before being run out by a direct throw from Dilshan.

Pakistan’s middle order was then tormented by Perera as Malinga ran from mid-on, dived and hung onto a mistimed pull by Akmal, to give Perera his 100th wicket in his 79th ODI, while Maqsood gloved another Perera short delivery to Kumar Sangakkara down the leg side.

Pakistan had just passed its previous lowest total of 75 against Sri Lanka at Lahore five years ago when Afridi holed out in the deep before rain briefly disrupted the match.

Alam laboured on with the tail enders and managed to scrape Pakistan past the 100—run mark before Malinga yorked Mohammad Irfan to end the innings.

Dilshan and Upul Tharanga (14) started the run chase aggressively by combining in better than run-a-ball 46—run opening stand.

Tharanga then played onto his off stump from tall fast bowler Mohammad Irfan’s delivery and Kumar Sangakkara edged to Mohammad Hafeez before Mahela Jayawardene (26) departed with the scores tied.

Shahid Afridi, who disappointed after finishing wicket less in the series, was smashed through point by Dilshan for his ninth boundary to raise Sri Lanka’s 2—1 victory in the series.

Pakistan’s batsmen struggled throughout the month long tour during which Sri Lanka also whitewashed them 2—0 in the test series.

Scoreboard after Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by seven wickets (D/L Method) in the third and final one-day international at the Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday

Pakistan innings:

Ahmed Shehzad c Perera b Prasad 10

Sharjeel Khan c Jayawardene b Prasad 0

Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Malinga 1

Misbah—ul—Haq run out 18

Fawad Alam not out 38

Umar Akmal c Malinga b Perera 7

Sohaib Maqsood c Sangakkara b Perera 7

Shahid Afridi c Perera b Prasanna 2

Wahab Riaz c Sangakkara b Perera 0

Saeed Ajmal c Jayawardene b Perera 6

Mohammad Irfan b Herath 5

Extras- (1lb, 6w, 1nb) 8

TOTAL- (all out) 102

Overs- 32.1.

Fall of wickets- 1—4, 2—14, 3—14, 4—47, 5—55, 6—73, 7—76, 8—77, 9—88, 10—102.

Bowling- Dhammika Prasad 6—0—25—2 (1nb 3w), Lasith Malinga 7—2—17—1 (1w), Angelo Mathews 5—0—11—0, Rangana Herath 2.1—0—6—1, Thisara Perera 8—1—34—4 (2w), Sekkuge Prasanna 4-1-8-1.

Sri Lanka innings:

Upul Tharanga b Irfan 14

Tillakaratne Dilshan not out 50

Kumar Sangakkara c Hafeez b Riaz 2

Mahela Jayawardene c Hafeez b Ajmal 26

Angelo Mathews not out 0

Extras- (7lb, 5w) 12

TOTAL- (For 3 wickets) 104

Overs- 18.2.

Fall of wickets- 1—46, 2—59, 3—100.

Did not bat- Seekkuge Prasanna, Ashan Priyanjan, Thisara Perera, Rangana Herath, Dhammika Prasad, Lasith Malinga.

Bowling- Mohammad Irfan 7—0—37—1 (2w), Wahab Riaz 6—1—42—1 (2w), Saeed Ajmal 4—0—10—1 (1w), Shahid Afridi 1.2—0—8—0.

Toss- Pakistan.

Result: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets on D/L Method.

Note: Sri Lanka target was revised to 101 runs.

Series: Sri Lanka won 2—1.

Umpires- Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sri Lanka, and Sundaram Ravi, India.

Third umpire- Steve Davis, Australia. Match Referee- Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe.

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