Pak land parting kick in style

KARACHI, MARCH 15: Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by 222 runs on the fourth day of the third and final Test on Wednesday to keep their unbeate...

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KARACHI, MARCH 15: Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by 222 runs on the fourth day of the third and final Test on Wednesday to keep their unbeaten record at the National Stadium intact. Sri Lanka, needing a record 451 to inflict a first-ever whitewash over Pakistan on home turf, were dismissed for 228.

It was a consolation victory for Pakistan who lost the series 2-1 after Sri Lanka had won the first two Tests in Rawalpindi and Peshawar. It also ended Pakistan’s run of five straight defeats after having lost 3-0 to Australia four months ago.

The success also improves Pakistan record at the National Stadium to 17 wins and as many draws.

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“The victory has come at the right time. Though we lost the series, this win will help us restore confidence for the forthcoming challenges,” Pakistan captain Moin Khan said.

Pakistan will play six Tests and up to 25 One-Day Internationals in the next four months in Sharjah, West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The Sharjah triangular one-day series begins on March 22 and also involves India and South Africa.

“We had already touched rock-bottom. We couldn’t have gone down further. But I am confident that this win will mark our revival,” the wicket-keeper said.

Pakistan had earlier resumed at 375 for seven and were eventually dismissed for 421, their highest score of the series, after 60 minutes of batting.

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Sri Lanka batted in their usual aggressive fashion but the target never looked possible, especially once Mohammad Akram had dismissed opener Marvan Atapattu and Waqar Younis accounted for Sanath Jayasuriya and Russel Arnold to leave them struggling at 41 for three.

Romesh Kaluwitharana hit a rapid 33 which included six boundaries while Chaminda Vaas (28) and Ravindra Pushpakumara (44: 45b, 6×4, 2×6) were involved in a 46-run eighth wicket stand.

Shahid Afridi was the most successful bowler with three for 50 while Younis finished with two for 32 to take his career total to 292 Test wickets.

HAQ PENALISED: Pakistan vice-captain and Man-of-the-Match Inzamam-ul-Haq faced a penalty after criticising the attitude of the Sri Lankans on Tuesday. “He has breached the International Cricket Council (ICC) players code of conduct by going to the media and criticising the opposition,” said match referee Brian Hastings who was to hold a hearing after the end of the day’s play.

Scoreboard

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Pakistan (1st innings): 256
Sri Lanka (1st innings): 227
Pakistan (2nd innings; overnight 375-7): Mohd Naveed lbw b Muralitharan 27, Shahid Afridi b Pushpakumara 34, Ejaz Ahmed c Dilshan b Muralitharan 3, Inzamam-ul Haq c Wickremasinghe b Muralitharan 138, Shoaib Akhtar lbw b Vaas 0, Yousuf Youhanna c Kaluwitharana b Pushpakumara 11, Younis Khan c Kaluwitharana b Wickremasinghe 61, Moin Khan c Arnold b Pushpakumara 70, Waqar Younis c Dilshan b Muralitharan 39, Irfan Fazil c Jayasuriya b Pushpakumara 3, Mohd Akram not out 1; Extras: (lb16, nb18) 34
Total: (all out in 133.5 overs) 421
Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-70, 3-84, 4-106, 5-159, 6-283,7-320, 8-408, 9-419

Bowling: Vaas 34-8-107-1, Pushpakumara 20.5-3-66-4, Wickremasinghe 26-6-82-1, Muralitharan 40-6-107-4, Jayasuriya 9-1-28-0, Arnold 4-0-15-0

Sri Lanka (2nd innings): Maravan Atapattu c Moin b Akram 23, Sanath Jayasuriya lbw Younis 10, R Arnold c Moin b Younis 8, Mahela Jayawardena b Fazil 29, Tillekeratne Dilshan run out 5, Romesh Kaluwitharana b Akhtar 33, Indika de Saram lbw Afridi 18, Chamninda Vaas c Akhtar b Afridi 28, Ravindra Pushpakumara c Fazil b Afridi 44, Pramodaya Wickramasinghe run out 0; Mutthiah Muralitharan not out 5; Extras: (b1, lb7, nb17) 25.
Total (all out in 46 overs) 228
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-41, 3-41, 4-59, 5-86, 6-121, 7-145, 8-191, 9-199

Bowling: Younis 11-4-32-2, Akhtar 13-1-64-1 (nb1), Md Akram 10-1-44-1 (nb8), Fazil 4-0-30-1 (nb4), Afridi 8-1-50-3 (nb4)

Result: Pakistan won by 222 runs