Kumar Sangakkara's ninth ODI hundred took Sri Lanka to 302 for 7 in their match against Pakistan in Karachi © TRockz
Sohail Tanvir successfully appeals for the wicket of Sanath Jayasuriya, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Super Four, Asia Cup, Karachi, June 29, 2008
Sangakkara century takes Sri Lanka to 302
Kumar Sangakkara struck a flawless century, his second of the tournament, and was involved in a series of sizeable partnerships as Sri Lanka piled on 302 for 7 at the National Stadium in Karachi. Sohail Tanvir varied his pace and angle of attack intelligently to pick up five wickets but there was precious little support from the other bowlers, which left Pakistan needing to pull off a record chase against Sri Lanka.
Tanvir, leading the attack in the absence of the injured Umar Gul, had the new ball jagging around but Wahab Riaz and Ifthikar Anjum served up boundary balls at the other end to ease the pressure. Sanath Jayasuriya was fortunate to survive an lbw shout off the first ball of the match as Tanvir started off with a maiden. Although Tanvir too was guilty of bowling wides, he managed to trouble the batsmen and soon had Jayasuriya trapped lbw off an incutter for 8.
Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara rarely had to take any risks, watchful against the good deliveries and putting away the loose ones on offer. Jayawardene was squared up on a couple of occasions by the extra bounce but Sangakkara was untroubled. For both, the bulk of the runs came square of the wicket, indicative of the lack of discipline in the attack.
Tanvir was brought back in the 14th over and made an immediate impact, as Jayawardene's cut ended up in the hands of Misbah-ul-Haq at point, ending a steady 40-run association. The spinners were brought on in the 18th over but they failed to make much of an impact as the runs kept flowing for Sri Lanka.
Sangakkara was his usual classy self, compiling his runs in an assured manner, with an impeccably-timed push down the ground for four off Tanvir being the highlight of the knock. He was initially content playing from the crease against the spinners but danced down the track to them as the innings progressed.
Chamara Kapugedera gave him solid support, sensibly working the singles while using his feet to unleash a couple of huge sixes. He had progressed confidently to 43 when he perished attempting to sweep a ball from outside off, only to top edge it to Younis Khan at midwicket, handing debutant legspinner Mansoor Amjad his first ODI wicket.
Chamara Silva didn't learn from Kapugedera's dismissal and was lucky to see a sweep fly to the third-man boundary. The next ball was glided for another four and with Shoaib Malik sending down some hit-me deliveries outside the leg stump, a healthy run-rate was maintained.
Amjad gave away only two runs in his next two overs but again Sri Lanka were let off the hook as Riaz fed Sangakkara with short-and-wide deliveries which were duly punished. The fifty partnership came in 45 balls and, as was the case in the whole innings, a bunch of singles were punctuated with boundaries - Silva slog-swept Amjad for four while Sangakkara walloped him over long-on.
Yet again Malik turned to Tanvir to limit the damage, and the bowler responded by removing Silva with a delivery that angled in. After bringing up his ninth ODI century, Sangakkara threw his bat around before being bowled by Tanvir for 112. Thilan Thushara justified the decision to send him ahead of Tillakaratne Dilshan by crashing a 20-ball 28 to push Sri Lanka towards 300.
Pakistan, with their formidable batting line-up, will take heart from their manner in which India have chased down large targets at this ground but with Sri Lanka possessing quality spinners - Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis - it will need a special effort to get their first points in the Super Four
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Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts NetRR For Against
India 2 2 0 0 0 4 +1.022 585/85.3 582/100.0
Sri Lanka 1 1 0 0 0 2 +2.620 357/50.0 226/50.0
Bangladesh 1 0 1 0 0 0 -0.894 283/50.0 284/43.2
Rampant India overwhelm Bangladesh
Alok Kapali's dazzling 115 gave Bangladesh a fighting chance, but their inability to hold on to catches meant that India breezed past another stiff target at the National Stadium in Karachi. Two days after making mincemeat of 300 against Pakistan, they overhauled Bangladesh's 283 with 40 balls to spare. Suresh Raina, with a century against Hong Kong and 84 against Pakistan earlier in the tournament, stroked a magnificent unbeaten 116, adding 139 for the third wicket with Gautam Gambhir to set up the game for India. Gambhir's 90 spanned just 84 balls, and there was enough time for Yuvraj Singh to thrash a couple of mighty sixes before the curtain came down.
Shahadat Hossain, all lively pace and whole-hearted grunting, had hinted at an upset with two wickets in the first Powerplay, but the partnership between Raina and Gambhir upset Mohammad Ashraful's best-laid plans. Butter fingers didn't help.
Gambhir had made 56 when his attempt to muscle Mashrafe Mortaza over the infield was sliced up in the air towards point. Farhad Reza made a mess of the catch. Soon after, still in the final Powerplay, Raina experienced his own adrenaline-rush moment, top-edging a pull. But again, Mortaza's celebrations were aborted as Mahmudullah spilt the chance at fine leg. Raina had made just 16.
Bangladesh had started well enough, with Robin Uthappa inside-edging a full delivery onto his stumps. That brought in Rohit Sharma, another batsman whose fortunes have waned in recent times. With Bangladesh especially generous with overthrows, India didn't need to take undue risks, and Rohit soon got going with an imperious pull and a cover drive for fours.
With Gambhir cutting and pulling anything that was slightly off target, the 50 came quickly enough, but soon after Rohit flicked Shahadat straight to midwicket. Raina was content to rotate the strike early on, and Gambhir quickly got to his half-century with a four and six off Mahmudullah. Then came the bloopers, and that was effectively that.
Neither batsman wasted run-scoring opportunities, with Gambhir frequently stepping out to drive on the walk as has become his wont. Raina leant into some gorgeous drives, but also pulled ferociously when the bowlers dropped short. Both also judged the singles to a nicety, ensuring that the required-rate never even went over six.
Slipshod fielding had played its part in Bangladesh's surge to 283 as well. Kapali had made just 25 when Manpreet Gony misjudged a catch at long-on off the bowling of Yusuf Pathan. Gambhir gave him another reprieve late on, but by then he had roared into three figures.
The innings exploded into life in the final eight overs, when 90 runs were amassed as Kapali cut loose with a ferocity that brooked no answer from the Indians. Mahmudullah turned over the strike at the other end, contributing only 24 to the 112-run partnership as Kapali struck the ball with power and precision.
Pragyan Ojha had bowled a tidy spell and taken two wickets on debut, Pathan had given little away, and Ishant Sharma had kept things quiet when called upon. But when Yusuf came on to bowl his final over, Kapali, then on 47 from 64 balls, exploded into life. Two big slog-sweeps for six set the tone, and when RP Singh returned, both batsmen scythed him over backward point for fours.
Gony, whose second international outing was a great deal more taxing than the first against Hong Kong, then went for 4, 6 and 6 as Kapali started to swing with genuine confidence. Mahendra Singh Dhoni once again turned to Ishant to apply a tourniquet, but to no avail. Kapali clipped a slow yorker beautifully through midwicket and then carved one past point as 61 came from just five overs.
Bangladesh had started sedately, but when Nazimuddin cut RP straight to third man, Mohammad Ashraful arrived to up the ante. With Gony straying on to the pads once too often, the runs came quickly. Tamim Iqbal drove fluently and Ashraful utilised both power and touch as the run-rate soared to six.
Unfortunately for Bangladesh, Ashraful's profligate streak then came to the fore. Gony had been brought back for a second spell, and a half-hearted drive on the up went to Ojha at mid-off. A first international wicket for Gony, and a first catch for Ojha.
Tamim eased past 50 but a moment's carelessness was to cost Bangladesh dearly. Having creamed Ishant through the covers for four, he then tried to deflect one fine off the pads. Dhoni made good ground to his right to take a splendid catch.
Raqibul Hasan was flummoxed soon after, as Ojha came up with a beautiful delivery that turned past the defensive prod to take off stump. Mushfiqur Rahim and Kapali consolidated with a 49-run partnership, but India's bowlers, with Ojha varying his flight cleverly, were slowly establishing a stranglehold.
Ojha's second wicket came courtesy a little extra bounce, with Mushfiqur's attempt at a cut finding only Dhoni's gloves, but the scent of a quick kill turned into a bloody nose as Kapali blazed away like a Catherine wheel. Had Bangladesh taken their catches, there might have been even more fireworks to illuminate the Dhaka night.
Dileep Premachandran is an associate editor at TRockz
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