COLOMBO: Sarfraz Ahmed celebrated his promotion with a breezy 77 and leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed a career-best 4-29 to help a rampant Pakistan side crush Sri Lanka by 135 runs in the violence-marred third One-day International and go 2-1 up in the five-match series on Sunday.

All-rounder Mohammad Haf­eez made up for a year-long ban on bowling due to a suspect action with a polished 54 as Pakistan piled up 316-4 after electing to bat in the day/night match.

Leg-spinner Yasir then shone with the ball as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 181 in 41.1 overs on a slow pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Lahiru Thirimanne, who top-scored with 56, was the only Sri Lankan batsman to offer resistance as the rest of the batting collapsed. Opener Kusal Perera was the next highest contributor with 20.

Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews admitted his team was outplayed by Pakistan.

“I am pretty disappointed,” he said. “But it must be said that Pakistan outplayed us in all three departments. The pitch helped the spinners in the second innings, but we need to improve in batting, bowling and fielding. We can’t afford to panic. Just need to have faith in the boys.”

Hafeez’s fourth score of 50-plus in the last six one-day innings built on a 93-run opening stand between Ahmed Shehzad (44) and skipper Azhar Ali (49).

Sarfraz put on 72 with seven boundaries in his 74-ball knock.

Malik, watched from the stands by his tennis-playing Indian wife Sania Mirza, struck an unbeaten 42 from 29 balls.

The pair smashed 21 runs in the last over, bowled by Lasith Malinga, to leave Sri Lanka chasing the highest total in the series so far.

Sarfraz, who was named man-of-the-match, said he was delighted to contribute to the big win.

“It was a great team effort,” he said. “I am really very happy with my batting and ‘keeping.”

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Ahmed Shehzad c Pathirana b Malinga44

Azhar Ali run out49

Mohammad Hafeez c K. Perera b Pathirana54

Sarfraz Ahmed run out77

Shoaib Malik not out42

Mohammad Rizwan not out35

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-8, NB-2)15

TOTAL (for four wkts, 50 overs)316

FALL OF WKTS: 1-93, 2-124, 3-196, 4-257.

DID NOT BAT: Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan.

BOWLING: Mathews 8-0-52-0; Pradeep 9-0-47-0 (3w); Malinga 10-0-80-1 (1nb); Pathirana 10-0-49-1 (1nb); N.L.T.C. Perera 10-0-63-0 (4w); Dilshan 3-0-20-0 (1w).

SRI LANKA:

M.D.K.J. Perera c Sarfraz b Anwar20

T.M. Dilshan c Azhar b Anwar14

H.D.R.L. Thirimanne c Sarfraz b Rahat56

W.U. Tharanga st Sarfraz b Yasir16

A.D. Mathews c Malik b Yasir4

L.D. Chandimal b Imad18

N.L.T.C. Perera c Anwar b Yasir12

T.A.M. Siriwardana run out2

S.S. Pathirana c Anwar b Yasir19

S.L. Malinga b Imad6

N. Pradeep not out3

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-5, NB-1)11

TOTAL (all out, 41.1 overs)181

FALL OF WKTS: 1-33, 2-42, 3-82, 4-93, 5-130, 6-142, 7-144, 8-170, 9-172.

BOWLING: Mohammad Irfan 7-1-32-0 (1nb, 1w), Anwar Ali 5-0-24-2, Rahat Ali 7-0-35-1 (2w); Shoaib Malik 5-0-28-0; Yasir Shah 10-1-29-4 (1w); Imad Wasim 7.1-0-28-2 (1w).

UMPIRES: R.R. Wimalasiri (Sri Lanka) and I.J. Gould (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.J. Tucker (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: J. Srinath (India).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sarfraz Ahmed.

Published in Dawn,July 21st, 2015

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