Pakistan win Kandy Test and series

KANDY: Pakistan achieved convincing victory against Sri Lanka beating home side by eight wickets at Asgiriya Stadium Kandy and also won the series.

Imran Farhat (65) and stand-in opener Kamran Akmal (24) added 38 for the first wicket in Pakistan’s second innings while chasing 183 runs target.

Pakistan batsmen batted positively in the morning to steal the initiative in the series decider following last week's draw. Younis Khan (73) and Mohammed Yousuf (14) remained unbeaten.

Paceman Lasith Malinga made the breakthrough soon after being introduced, getting Akmal to edge behind where wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara took a spectacular diving catch. Pakistan lost second wicket of Imran Farhat caught by Jayawardena off Kulasekara.

Earlier the hosts were dismissed in just 24.5 overs and registered their second lowest total against Pakistan.

Pakistan seamer Mohammed Asif was declared man of the match for his match winning performance.

Pakistan 90/1 in Kandy Test at lunch

KANDY, Sri Lanka: Pakistan moved in sight of a remarkable victory in the second cricket test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday after Seam bowler Mohammad Asif grabbed his first 10-wicket test haul.

Set a modest 183 runs to win Pakistan were comfortably placed at 90 for one wicket at lunch on the third day, with eight full sessions to play.

Imran Farhat was unbeaten on 29 with Younis Khan on 30 at the break, after Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara took a brilliant catch diving to his left to dismiss Kamran Akmal for 24.

Following his first innings performance of 6-44, Asif rattled Sri Lanka's batting order in the second innings with an aggressive spell of bowling to steal the advantage from the home side, which batted with a 109-run, first innings lead.

Pakistan need 183 to win Kandy Test

KANDY, Sri Lanka: Pakistan need 183 to win second Test and series on Wednesday as the lost wicket of Sri Lanka was fall on third day’s morning at the Asgiriya

International Cricket Stadium here without any addition to previous day’s total of 73-8. Muralitharan was the ninth men of the home side caught off Abdul Razzaq.

Sanath Jayasuriya who was playing last test of his illustrious career didn’t come back in second innings after getting injured on previous day.

Earlier Sri Lanka resumed their innings from 73-8 on the third day’s morning and Muralitharan was caught by Gul on the first delivery of the day by Abdul Razzaq.

Pakistan need 183 runs to win second Test and the test series.

Seamer Mohammad Asif led Pakistan's attack with a remarkable five-wicket burst. Abdul Razzaq with four wickets for 20 runs was the only other Pakistani wicket taker.

Kandy Test resumes on third day

KANDY, Sri Lanka:  Sri Lanka resumed their innings on the third day’s morning in the final test against Pakistan here on Wednesday.

Seamer Mohammad Asif led Pakistan's fightback on Tuesday with a remarkable five-wicket burst. The 23-year-old wrecked Sri Lanka's top order in two inspiring spells before the hosts reached 73-8 in their second innings at stumps on the second day, for an overall lead of 182.

Asif, playing only his fifth Test, threw the match wide open after his team had crashed to 170 in reply to Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 279. He has so far captured 11 wickets in the match following his six-wicket haul in the first innings. Waqar Younis, the team's current bowling coach, is the only other Pakistani to capture 11 wickets in a match in Sri Lanka.

Twenty wickets fell during the eventful day's play, leaving the Test delicately poised on a pitch of variable bounce.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan had triggered Pakistan's collapse on his home ground with 5-39, his 51st haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings in 103 matches.

But Asif sustained his team's hopes of clinching the series after the drawn opening Test at Colombo, finishing with 5-27 off just 12 overs.

Sri Lanka lost eight wickets in less than 25 overs in a dramatic closing session with none of their batsmen crossing the 20-mark. Asif, whose subtle variations in pace never allowed the batsmen to settle, was supported by seamer Abdul Razzaq who bagged three wickets.

Kandy Test: Sri Lanka 73 for eight at second day close

KANDY: Sri Lanka collapsed to 73 for eight in their second innings, a lead of 182, after Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif claimed his first 10-wicket haul on the second day of the second test on Tuesday.

Pakistan, replying to Sri Lanka's 279 all out, lost their way after a solid start and were dismissed for 170 in just 52.4 overs after the tea interval.

Asif hit back during two long spells of sustained hostility in the final session of a day in which 20 wickets fell.

Superbly exploiting a difficult pitch offering extravagant seam movement and increasing variations in bounce, Asif claimed five for 27 in 12 overs.

The 23-year-old's haul followed a career-best six for 44 in the first innings to give him match figures of 11 for 71.

The first Test of the two-match series ended in a draw in Colombo last
week.


Pakistan batting tumbles at 170 in Kandy Test

KANDY, Sri Lanka: Pakistan batting again lost to Muraltharan’s magic and was all out for paltry 170 runs trailing 109 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 279 on second day of the second Test against Pakistan here at Asgiriya stadium on Tuesday.

Kamran Akmal (33) promoted to open the batting in the absence of an indisposed Shoaib

Malik, added 57 in the first wicket stand with Imran Farhat (23). Farhat was the first to go when the left-hander tried to drive and was caught by Sanath Jayasuriya at gully. Akmal followed him soon after.

Ace off-spinner Muralitharan removed Kamran Akmal after seamer Nuwan Kulasekara had disposed off the other opener Imran Farhat.

Pakistan wickets tumble regularly as vice captain Younis Khan was the top scorer with his 35 runs knock.

Kamran Akmal made 33, Imran Farhat 23, Mohammed Yousuf 17, Inzamam 15, Faisal Iqbal 05, Kaneria and Umar Gul four runs each and Iftikhar Anjum remain not out with 09 runs.

Murali’s magic entranced Pakistani batsmen as he grabbed four Pakistani wickets for 34 runs, Kulasekara took two and Maharoof one wicket for the home side.

Pakistan 71-2 at lunch in Kandy test

COLOMBO:  Stand-in opener Kamran Akmal promoted after Shoaib Malik pulled out of the match with a fever and Imran Farhat gave the tourists a sold start with a 57-run opening stand.

However, Sri Lanka struck twice in the final half hour of the morning as Pakistan reached the lunch break on 71-2.

The left-handed Farhat was the first casualty as he edged a Nuwan Kulasekera delivery and was caught by Sanath Jayasuriya in the gully for 23.

Off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, cheered on by a hometown crowd, then had Akmal caught at slip off bat and pad in the last over of the session.

Akmal had scored 33 from 53 balls with four boundaries.

Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif claimed a career-best six for 44 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 279 on the second morning of the second and final test on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka, starting the day on 267-8, added just 12 runs in 3.2 overs before Nuwan Kulasekera (13) was bowled by Asif and Lasith Malinga (nine) was caught in the covers off leg spinner Danish Kaneria.

Sri Lanka all out at 279 in Kandy test

KANDY: Sri Lankan team all out at 279 runs in their first inning in the second and final test against Pakistan here at the Asgiriya Stadium on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka resumed innings at 267-8 on the second day of the match with Malinga(0) and Kulasekara(11) were holding the crease.

Muhammad Asif bowled Kulasekara at 13 runs whereas Abdul Razzaq caught Milanga at the bowling of Kaneria. Muralitharan remained unbeaten at one.

Muhammad Asif took six and Danesh Kaneria four wickets for the visitors.

Kandy Test resumes on second day

KANDY, Sri Lanka:  Sri Lanka resumed their innings from 267 for eight on the second day’s morning in the final test against Pakistan on Tuesday here.

Kumar Sangakkara top-scored with a superb 79 as Sri Lanka recovered to 267 for eight on the first day of the match.

Sri Lanka had slumped to 61 for three after being put into bat on a wet pitch offering extravagant seam movement before Sangakkara led a recovery that left the game nicely poised.

Fast bowler Mohammad Asif, Pakistan's best bowler in the first test in Colombo which ended in a draw, was menacing throughout the day and was chiefly responsible for Sri Lanka's problems with a superb new ball spell. Asif finished with a career-best five for 41 from 21 overs.

Sangakkara's efforts were supported by middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera who scored a gritty 180-ball 65 before being bowled immediately after Pakistan took the second new ball.

Kandy Test: Sri Lanka 267 for eight at first day close

KANDY: Sri Lanka scored 267 runs at the loss of eight wickets here on the first day of the second and lfinal Test match against Pakistan on Monday.

Kumar Sangakkara top-scored with a superb 79 as Sri Lanka recovered to 267 for eight.

Sri Lanka had slumped to 61 for three after being put into bat on a wet pitch offering extravagant seam movement before Sangakkara spearheaded a recovery that left the match evenly poised on a difficult pitch.

Sangakkara's efforts were supported by middle order batsmanThilan Samaraweera who scored a gritty 180-ball 65 before being bowled immediately after Pakistan took the second new ball.

Tailender Malinga Bandara - very fortunate to survive a TV run out referral on just nine - also frustrated the tourists with an entertaining career-best 43 late in the day. Upul Tharanga scored 10 runs, Sanath Jayasuriya 14,Mahela Jayawardene 4, Tillakaratne Dilshan 22,Ferveez Maharoof 7,Nuwan Kulasekera not-out at 11 while Lasith Malinga was also not-out for 0 runs.

The first test ended in a draw.

Sri Lanka 79-3 at lunch in Kandy test

KANDY: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif ripped through Sri Lanka's top order as the hosts struggled to 79 for three on the first morning of the second test.

Asif, Pakistan's premier bowler in the first test, bowled a superb 12-over spell with the new ball on a pitch offering extravagant seam movement throughout the first session,

finishing with three for 26.

Sri Lanka's leading batsman Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on 41 at the break with middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera on six not out.

Sri Lanka battled through the first half hour but then lost Upul Tharanga (10) who pushed at a wide delivery angled across him and edged into the slips.

Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya, playing his last test match, was then bowled by a peach of a delivery that nipped back off the seam enough to clip off-stump.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene lasted 42 minutes for his four runs, regularly playing and missing as the ball jagged off the seam.

Kumar Sangakkara led a fight back with a series of glorious cover drives.

But Asif struck again before the break as Jayawardene edged low to second slip.

Pakistan suffered a blow before the start as opener Shoaib Malik, who helped save the first test with a marathon 148 not out, pulled out with a fever.

Experienced campaigner Mohammad Yousuf returned having recovered from a hamstring strain.

Pace bowler Iftikhar Rao replaced leg spinning all rounder Shahid Afridi.

Sri Lanka dropped fast bowler Dilhara Fernando for Nuwan Kulasekera.

The first test in Colombo last week was drawn.

Pakistan win toss, elect to field in Kandy test

KANDY: Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first in the second and final test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka here on Monday.

Pakistan made two changes in the team. Muhammad Yousuf would replace Shahid Afridi whereas Rao Iftikhar included in place of unfit Shoaib Malik.

Sri Lanka made one change by including Nuwan Kulasekera in place of Dilhara.

Pakistan in the series has an edge of 1-0 lead.