Helped by some incisive bowling, defending champion Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 16 runs in the Asia Cup match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium here on Tuesday night, though Shahid Afridi did spring a scare with a fiery 109.
On a day that began with worry-lines creasing Kumar Sangakkara's forehead, the Sri Lankan captain found his heroes at different times ranging from Angelo Mathews to Lasith Malinga as his team tasted victory.
Sangakkara opted to bat on winning the toss and found feeble bats among his willow wielders on a sluggish pitch though the skipper along with Mahela Jayawardene and Mathews, ensured that 242 for nine was posted on the board.
Later chasing under lights, Pakistan suffered a free-fall right from the moment Malinga (five for 34) castled a frozen Salman Butt for a blob and surprised debutant Umar Amin with a superb bouncer while Nuwan Kulasekara kept it tight from the other end.
Mathews, enjoying a good day, joined the act as he got one to shape away from a tentative Shoaib Malik and then picked up the wicket of another debutant Shahzaib Hasan.
Pakistan, struggling at 32 for four in 24.1 overs, then found a fiery counter-point through Shahid Afridi (109, 76b, 8x4, 7x6). The skipper threw his bat to clobber sixes with impunity as Farveez Maharoof and Muttiah Muralitharan craned their necks and stared at the disappearing white ball.
Afridi's effort though was a lone-ranger act as the rest withered away while Malinga returned to wipe off the tail. Afridi battled cramps en route to his fifth ODI hundred but once he fell to Muralitharan when Sangakkara brought off a brilliant catch behind the wicket, the battle was lost and Pakistan scored 226 in 47 overs.
Earlier, Sri Lanka struggled for a toehold. It was struggling at 36 for two, before the pair of Sangakkara (42) and Jaywardene (54, 64b, 3x4) add 83 runs for the third wicket.
Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga c Butt b Akhtar 11 (16b, 2x4), T. Dilshan c Amin b Asif 18 (25b, 3x4), K. Sangakkara c U. Akmal b Afridi 42 (63b, 4x4), M. Jayawardene lbw b Malik 54 (64b, 3x4), T. Samaraweera c U. Akmal b Razzak 17 (22b), C. Kapugedera c U. Akmal b Akhtar 2 (6b), A. Mathews (not out) 55 (61b, 4x4), F. Maharoof c Akmal b Akhtar 1 (3b), N. Kulasekara b Aamer 14 (27b), L. Malinga b Aamer 16 (12b, 1x4, 1x6), M. Muralitharan (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-5, w-6): 11; Total (for nine wkts. in 50 overs): 242.
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-36, 3-119, 4-150, 5-150, 6-160, 7-168, 8-211, 9-239.
Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 10-1-41-3, Asif 9-0-55-1, Aamer 10-1-57-2, Razzaq 8-0-27-1, Afridi 10-0-43-1, Malik 3-0-14-1.
Pakistan: S. Hasan c Malinga b Mathews 11 (33b, 1x4), S. Butt b Malinga 0 (3b), U. Amin c Sangakkara b Malinga 7 (26b), S. Malik c Sangakkara b Mathews 8 (14b), U. Akmal (run out) 30 (40b), S. Afridi c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 109 (76b, 8x4, 7x6), K. Akmal (run out) 14 (26b, 1x4), A. Razzaq (not out) 26 (46b, 2x4), M. Aamer b Malinga 5 (14b), S. Akhtar c Mathews b Malinga 1 (2b), M. Asif b Malinga 0 (2b); Extras (lb-5, w-10): 15; Total (in 47 overs): 226.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-11, 3-28, 4-32, 5-105, 6-154, 7-205, 8-217, 9-219.
Sri Lanka bowling: Kulasekara 9-1-25-0, Malinga 10-0-34-5, Mathews 10-1-38-2, Maharoof 8-0-53-0, Muralitharan 10-0-71-1 .
