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SL race to eight-wicket win over Pakistan
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the opening day-night match of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament at the Premadasa Stadium here on Thursday.
Scores:
Pakistan 200 in 49.4 overs v Sri Lanka 201-2 in 36.1 overs
September 12, 2002 - 1600 GMT
Jayasuriya puts Sri Lanka on course for big win
COLOMBO: Sanath Jayasuriya completed 8000 one-day runs as Sri Lanka headed towards a crushing win over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy opener on Thursday. The left-hander, unbeaten on a typically breezy 75, became the second Sri Lankan to reach the landmark after his partner Aravinda De Silva, who was 39 not out as the hosts reached 137 for two after 25 overs chasing 201 for victory.
Pakistan are likely to make an early exit from the 12-team event if they lose the day-night game as both sides are expected to beat their third pool four rivals, the Netherlands.
The 33-year-old Jayasuriya, making light of a recent shoulder injury, opened his scoring by edging veteran fast bowler Wasim Akram inches over the second slip fielder for his first four, but then produced a flurry of attacking shots. Pakistan got a lucky break when opener Marvan Atapattu (8) was run out going for a non-existent single and Wasim trapped Kumar Sangakarra lbw for nought in the next over to make it 45 for two.
But de Silva quickly took over at the other end, pulling Waqar Younis for consecutive fours through midwicket as the Pakistan pace trio pitched too short and wide.
Jayasuriya reached his 51st one-day international 50, also becoming only the eighth player in history to reach 8000 one-day international runs.
Pakistan had wasted the advantage of winning a good toss and never really recovered from slumping to 17 for three. Only patient knocks from opener Saeed Anwar (52) and Misbah-ul Haq (47) prevented the innings from complete collapse.
September 12, 2002 - 1205 GMT
Sri Lanka dismiss Pakistan cheaply in tournament opener
COLOMBO: A charged-up Sri Lanka looked to be in control of the Champions Trophy limited-over cricket tournament's opening match on Thursday after bundling out Pakistan for 200 runs.
Incisive bowling by ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and medium-pacer Dilhara Fernando throttled the Pakistani batsmen. The bowlers were greatly supported by a sterling display by the fielders.
Pakistan's batting was patchy except for a fighting half-century by veteran opener Saeed Anwar.
Anwar struck five boundaries in his 82-ball knock of 52. Sri Lanka claimed early breakthroughs as Muralitharan claimed three wickets for 29 runs.
Fernando's late burst got him three scalps costing 30 runs.
Despite packing its team with batsmen on a track expected to be loaded with runs, Pakistan stumbled through some indiscrete strokeplay.
Batting first after its skipper Waqar Younis won the toss, Pakistan began on a torrid note, losing the first three wickets for 17 runs.
Opener Shahid Afridi failed to get into the groove, Shoaib Malik became the first batsman to be adjudged leg before wicket by the third umpire using television replays and Yousuf Youhana was run out in a mix up with Anwar to leave Pakistan tottering.
Anwar survived a streaky edge off medium-pacer Pulasthi Gunaratne that went for four between wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, who dived late for the catch.
Jayasuriya was ruled fit to play in the tournament just before the start of the match. He had dislocated his right shoulder during last month's triangular one-day series in Tangier, Morocco.
The seasoned Anwar stood alone amid the ruins as Pakistan's imposing batting lineup crumbled at the other end.
Afridi scored four runs before edging medium-pacer Fernando's outswinging delivery into wicket-keeper Sangakkara's gloves and Malik made just one run off seven balls before being adjudged leg before to left-armer Chaminda Vaas.
Malik's dismissal was confirmed by Australian umpire Darryl Harper after seeking the assistance of the third umpire Rudi Koertzen of South Africa.
The experiment to enlarge the role of the television replays to adjudge on wider range of verdicts made an early impact as Vaas rapped Malik on the pads in the fifth over of the match.
On-field umpire Harper referred the appeal to third umpire Koertzen, who ruled that the ball had gone straight after pitching on the leg stump and the bounce was low enough to hit the stumps had it not struck Malik's left pad.
Anwar kept his cool despite running out star middle-order Youhanna for a duck. Anwar shared a brisk 70-run stand off 107 balls with Yousuf Khan, who spanked four boundaries in his 64-ball 35.
Khan, trying to sweep Muralitharan, was bowled round his stumps.
Muralitharan went on to claim the wickets of Rashid Latif and Wasim Akram. Former captain Latif chanced his arm for a 24-ball knock of 22 but holed out to Fernando at deep midwicket.
An Upul Chandana delivery to Latif went past wicketkeeper Sangakkara and struck the helmet placed behind him, resulting in five penalty runs being added to Pakistan's score.
September 12, 2002 - 0845 GMT
Pakistan elect to bat first in Champions Trophy opener
COLOMBO: Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening match of the Champions Trophy limited-over cricket tournament against host Sri Lanka at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka packed their sides with batsmen, expecting the pitch to be full of runs.
Pakistan's attacking batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq was ruled unfit due to a heel injury. He was replaced by Misbah-ul-Haq.
Sri Lanka, going into the biennial tournament with high expectations after winning last month's triangular one-day series in Tangiers, Morocco, got a boost when its skipper, Sanath Jayasuriya, was ruled fit for the match.
Jayasuriya had dislocated his left shoulder while attempting to make a catch in the final of the Morocco Cup, but returned to the nets last week and showed no apparent pain while batting.
However, he felt a little discomfort while throwing the ball. Just hours before the start of the tournament, the selectors gave a green signal to play Jayasuriya in the biggest sporting event staged by the island nation.
A colorful ceremony marked the inauguration of the tournament as children enthralled the spectators with traditional dances.
Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Chaminda Vaas, Pulasthi Gunaratne, Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Pakistan: Waqar Younis (captain), Saeed Anwar, Shoaib Malik, Shahid
Afridi, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Missbah Ul-Haq, Abdur Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar.
Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Darryl Harper (Australia). Third umpire: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa). ICC match referee: Mike Proctor (South Africa).
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