Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi narrowly failed to take his team to victory over Sri Lanka with an heroic century in the opening match of the Asia Cup on Tuesday.
After scoring 242 for nine, Sri Lanka reduced Pakistan to 32 for four before Afridi launched his counter-attack.
He struck seven sixes and eight fours in his 109 from 76 balls but was badly handicapped by cramp after reaching 92 and hobbled his last 17 runs. Following his dismissal Pakistan succumbed for 226.
Afridi was particularly severe on Muttiah Muralitharan, hitting him for five of his sixes.
Muralitharan, who conceded 71 from his 10 overs, gained his revenge when wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara brought off an outstanding reflex catch to dismiss Afridi off his bowling.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga then took three wickets for four runs off 11 balls on his way to a maiden five-wicket one-day haul.
Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar celebrated his return to the national team after a break of 13 months by taking three for 41 after Sri Lanka had won the toss and batted first.
Akhtar had opener Upul Tharanga caught at slip for 11 and also captured the wickets of Chamara Kapugedera (2) and Farveez Maharoof (1) as Sri Lanka slumped to 168 for seven.
Angelo Mathews, with an unbeaten 55 off 61 balls, ensured Sri Lanka got past 200.
Sri Lanka’s top order had been held together by Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who shared a third wicket partnership of 83 off 102 balls. Sangakkara scored 42 and Jayawardene was unlucky to be given out lbw on 54 to Shoaib Malik.
BUMRAH WATCH: Captain Jasprit Bumrah left the SCG for scans for back spasms and although he returned to the ground, there was no word on if he would play Rishabh Pant’s blistering counterattack yesterday capped a chaotic second day of the fifth and final Test between Australia and India, with 15 wickets falling and the star bowler of the series leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground with an ambulance escort. Yet the Border-Gavaskar trophy still remains very much in the balance as India reached 141-6, holding a 145-run lead over Australia with three days remaining. “Low-scoring games like this, it just heightens the pressure within it, so long way still to go,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said. “There’s gonna be plenty of cricket, so we’ll see what happens.” Australia were bowled out for
Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan yesterday dumped defending champions Germany out of the United Cup with world No. 2 Alexander Zverev sidelined by an arm injury barely a week away from the Australian Open. The upset in Perth sent the Kazakhs into the semi-finals of the 18-nation tournament. In Sydney, women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek led Poland into the last eight by winning a rematch of her 2023 French Open final against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Britain also progressed to the quarter-finals with Katie Boulter’s dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Olivia Gadecki enough to guarantee they won their group. The US and
HAT-TRICK PREP: World No. 1 Sabalenka clinched her first win of the season, as she aims to become the first woman in 20 years to win three Australian Opens in succession Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Taylor Fritz yesterday all clocked impressive wins as tennis powerhouses Italy and the US surged into the quarter-finals of the mixed-team United Cup. World No. 3 Gauff swept past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-2 to avenge a loss at the Paris Olympics, while Fritz took care of Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 in searing Perth heat. That was enough to put the Americans — last year’s winners — into a last-eight clash with China today, while Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan today are to meet defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, in the other Perth quarter-final. In Sydney, the in-form
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek yesterday beat Elena Rybakina in straight sets to take Poland into the final of the mixed-teams United Cup with victory over Kazakhstan. Last year’s runners-up face the US today for the title in Sydney after they beat the Czech Republic in the other semi-final. “This win makes me really proud,” Swiatek said after seeing off Rybakina 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to give Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie. It was a statement of intent from the world number two with the first major of the year to start on Jan. 12. “It is perfect preparation for the
RSS