It was a heartening game of cricket for the Sri Lankan fans who have for long looked for answers from Sri Lanka’s younger band of cricketers to step up to the plate and look like they could fill in the shoes of the veterans.
Sri Lanka chased 322 set by Pakistan and ended up all out 311 in the greatest run chase recorded in Sharjah in the 1st ODI in the series vs Pakistan.
Series after series the Sri Lankan youngsters failed and it did not help the cause that batting-wise the big guns came at the top of the order leaving the juniors to sink or survive in the middle overs (especially in the ODIs) It’s no mean feat to come on in to the international arena and perform in the middle order and lower middle order when the chase it at its hottest.
However, a devastating partnership of 87 in 45 balls by Seekuge Prassanna and Sachithra Senanayake both in the side as spinners saw a breath of fresh air injected into the Sri Lankan side. The fire power in their partnership was blistering as it was classy. They were real cricket shots and had they been sent a little higher in the order to consolidate themselves a bit more, it may have been a different story. Both Seekuge and Senanayake have been in the fringes and in and out of the team and it is interesting to understand why the selector have not picked their talents and pursued with them previously. To think that two bowlers can bat this way; not just a bowler coming in the end and using the long handle and being successful at it, the pair was up against one of the best bowling attacks of world cricket. Even when they perished it was simply by trying to do the impossible and make up for their floundering top order who had wasted balls before them. The pair were not just bludgeoners, they could defend and with the lifting of pressure when a bowler is put to bat they could prove to be a ‘find’ even slightly higher up the order and continuity may have them adjusting their game to become true contributors. Senanayake in particular was timing his shots so sweetly – one was almost as good as a Mahela Jayawardena cut-shot.
While the Sri Lankan bowling is looking dastardly thin with crusader Lasith Malinga going for plenty in all of his sojourns lately, the island nation is deeply looking for some penetration and cohesiveness in the bowling. Both Seekuge with his leg-spin variation and Senanayake with his height may now have to become permanent fixtures in the side, with figures of 39 for 1 in 8 overs for Seekuge and Senanyake holding his end for 46 runs in 9 overs showed that nurtured they could mature into fine bowlers.
There was no-match for the Pakistani batting which was devastating to say the least. It was that day for Pakistan when all fell into place in their batting and that is why the feat of Sri Lanka chasing a 322 and almost getting there, can be cast as a magical exploit. When Pakistan are at the top of their game there is no beating them. They find youngsters like they did ‘old’ Shahid Afridi long time ago, that reek with raw talent, batmen that come to crease and dish-out the most amazing talent and bowlers, a continuous array of good fast bowlers who arrive on the scene and bowl at a 140k like it’s the most normal happening. It’s the number of talent coming up their ranks that is amazing. Sharjeel Khan and Sohaib Maqshood have now added themselves to this list of powerful hitters joining the likes of Afridi and Umar Akmal. Why Pakistan cannot thrash everyone on the world circuit is only because they badly lack consistency in their performances and if some authority can harness this issue and breed some professionalism into that side, they will be lethal.
T M Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara found the going slow and were unable to find their feet in this match and it was a cause for the run chase being so laborious. The fact that Mahela Jayawardena’s middle order calm was missed goes without saying but as articulated by many, it is the perfect platform to bud in the young. Like some of the other countries practise rotation policy for the 3 senior men and even Malinga would stand well for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka lost the toss again and Pakistan put themselves to bat and Mohamed Hafeez came up with a splendidly crafted anchor innings of 122 which included ( 7 fours and 4 sixes ) his partnerships of 83 with Sharjeel (61 runs in 61 balls) and 148 Moqshood 148 (73 runs in 68 balls) and of course the bane of the Sri Lankan side Shahid Afridi adding a 34 in just 12 balls sealed the fate for Sri Lanka with their batting alone.
Sri Lanka batted well in the end and made the so lethal home side bowling attack look run of the mill. Even though Afridi removed Sangakkara for the 9th time with him slashing at one that was wide ending with 23 in 33 balls, and Dilshan perished in the deep 30 off 43 balls Sri Lanka really did challenge the Pakistan bowling this time around. Kushal J Perera the amazing Sanath Jayasuriya mould, once again showed he is here to stay with a well-made 64 in 68 balls which included 5 fours and 1 six perishing only in the pursuit of the looming chase in front of him.
Trimanne was disappointing and held out for 10 while Chandimal showed a steady head and power-hitting with 46 off 50 balls including 3 sixes finally succumbing to a run out by a direct dash by Saeed Ajmal who went otherwise surprisingly wicket-less but it was his miserly 48 in 10 runs and Afridi’s 30 for 2 in 7 that made a difference in pegging Sri Lanka back. Skipper Angelo Mathews dismissal was a key part in the falling short of the chase when he was caught at mid-off by Sohail Tanvir off the bowling of Junaid Khan.
Sri Lanka which always seem to be undone by Pakistan will take huge confidence in their ability to get upto 311 and their young would have gained a wealth of experience.
