Afridi stars as Pakistan thumps Sri Lanka

Updated November 12, 2011 10:43:42

Leg spinner Shahid Afridi capped an excellent return to international cricket with three wickets as Pakistan thumped Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first day-night match in Dubai.

Afridi took 3 for 27 in his first match since returning from a six-month exile, helping Pakistan dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 131 in 40.3 overs before Younis Khan and Imran Farhat hit fifties to anchor the chase at Dubai stadium.

Pakistan lost Mohammad Hafeez (5) in the second over of its innings but Farhat added 103 for the second wicket stand with Younis Khan (56 not out) to ensure a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Farhat hit leg spinner Seekkuge Prasanna for his seventh boundary to reach his ninth one-day fifty but with only 17 needed he was trapped leg-before wicket by paceman Suranga Lakmal for 50.

Younis, whose fifty was his 45th in one-dayers, took the team past the target in just 21.5 overs. He hit seven boundaries during his 57-ball knock.

Pakistan was on course for a comprehensive win thanks in large part to Afridi, who finished with 3 for 27 and was ably supported by Saeed Ajmal (2 for 21) and Mohammad Hafeez (2 for 24) as Sri Lanka lost its last seven wickets for 54 after opting to bat.

Dinesh Chandimal top-scored with 28 while opener Tharanga Paranavitna (25) and Mahela Jayawardene (24) were other notable scorers, but none went on to make a big score against some lethal spin bowling.

Captain Misbah-ul Haq praised his team's bowling.

"It wasn't a bad pitch, but all credit goes to the bowlers as they kept relentless pressure on the batsmen and then Farhat and Younis batted well to ensure a win," said Misbah, a little surprised by how comfortably Pakistan won the match.

Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said poor batting was to blame.

"We didn't start well and once you were bowled out for 131, then it leaves you with no fight," said Dilshan, who defended decision to bat first.

AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, united-arab-emirates, pakistan, sri-lanka

First posted November 12, 2011 10:43:42

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Awesome Watson thumps Bangladesh

Updated April 11, 2011 21:05:00

Shane Watson smashed a record 15 sixes in a career-best 185 not out as Australia clinched the three-match series against Bangladesh with a nine-wicket win in the second one-dayer on Monday.

The explosive opener gave a superb display of power-hitting as he also cracked 15 fours in his 96-ball knock to help Australia achieve a 230-run target with 24 overs to spare for an unbeatable 2-0 lead.

West Indies' Xavier Marshall was the previous record-holder with 12 sixes against Canada in 2008.

Watson's knock was also the highest by an Australian in one-day internationals, the previous best being 181 not out by Matthew Hayden.

Watson completed his sixth one-day hundred off just 69 balls, the third-fastest by an Australia after Hayden (66 balls) and Adam Gilchrist (67 balls).

Watson looked in excellent touch from the beginning, hammering three fours in the opening over bowled by Shafiul Islam.

He raced to his half-century off just 26 balls with the help of four sixes and five boundaries.

He then reduced Bangladesh's bowlers and fielders to a state of helplessness with his onslaught, once hitting four sixes in an over from left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo.

Watson dominated an unfinished 170-run stand for the second wicket with former captain Ricky Ponting, who contributed an unbeaten 37.

Bangladesh was earlier struggling at 5 for 88 before crossing the 200-mark, thanks to wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim's unbeaten 81 off 80 balls which contained one six and nine fours.

Rahim's best came in the closing stages of the innings when he smashed two fours and a six off successive deliveries from paceman Brett Lee before hitting two boundaries in seamer Mitchell Johnson's last over.

He played a major role in steadying the innings after Johnson (3 for 54) and leg-spinner Steven Smith (2 for 34) had put the hosts in trouble, adding 79 for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Mahmudullah (38).

Shahriar Nafees was the only top-order batsman to offer resistance, scoring 56 off 73 balls with six fours. He fell after completing his 12th half-century in one-dayers, offering a simple return catch to Smith.

Johnson did the early damage when he removed openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes before paceman John Hastings accounted for Raqibul Hasan to reduce the hosts to 3 for 28 in the opening 12 overs.

Smith bowled skipper Shakib Al Hasan for nine runs and then dismissed well-set Nafees to send the hosts reeling at 5 for 88.

The final one-dayer will be played in Dhaka on Wednesday.

- AFP

First posted April 11, 2011 19:44:00

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