20/01Result
1st ODI (D/N), Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan at Karachi, Jan 20 2009
Pakistan won by 8 wkts (25b rem)
Player of the Match
Salman Butt
Salman ButtPakistan
20/01Result
1st ODI (D/N), Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan at Karachi, Jan 20 2009
Pakistan won by 8 wkts (25b rem)
Player of the Match
Salman Butt
Salman ButtPakistan

So Pakistan have a less-than-challenging target of 220. You wouldn't have reckoned that they would be chasing so little after the cracking start Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya provided them.

The experiment to open with Dilshan may have worked but Sri Lanka's batting woes continue unabated. Their captain Mahela Jayawardene's terrible run with the bat continued and several batsmen were unable to build a big innings after getting off to starts.

Umar Gul was the stand-out bowler, taking two key wickets early to break Sri Lanka's momentum after they had got off to a blistering start. Iftikhar Rao also proved handy with his disciplined bowling. Shoaib Akhtar's comeback game, though, hasn't been particularly memorable for him so far, going wicketless for 43 runs in his seven overs.

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45.2
W
Iftikhar Anjum to Mendis, OUT, And that's the end of the innings, Mendis goes for a Hollywood drive, he misses completely as the ball moves in a little and crashes into middle stump.

BAW Mendis b Iftikhar Anjum 1 (7m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

This ball won't be a free-hit because a free-hit is only awarded after no-balls when the bowler oversteps

45.2
2nb
Iftikhar Anjum to Muralidaran, (no ball) 1 run, a high full toss, high enough to be called a no-ball, Murali swings at it but takes a blow on his gloves, manages to steal a single
45.1
4
Iftikhar Anjum to Muralidaran, FOUR, a bouncer on legstump, Murali pulls it and gets a top edge which runs away for four as fine leg is inside the circle

So the final Powerplay is taken

END OF OVER:
45 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 213/9 | RR: 4.73

  • Muthiah Muralidaran2 (5b)
  • Ajantha Mendis1 (2b)
  • Umar Gul9-0-30-3
  • Shoaib Malik6-0-19-1
44.6
1
Umar Gul to Muralidaran, 1 run, Predictably, after the boucner, a yorker, this one's on leg stump, Murali manages to squeeze it out towards square leg

Sri Lanka need Murali to repeat his big-hitting heroics from Bangladesh here

44.5
0
Umar Gul to Muralidaran, no run, another bouncer, this time to Murali, who manages to evade it quite easily

Match Coverage

All Match News

  • Butt century powers Pakistan to easy win

    A country starved of international cricket for over six months celebrated with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the series, thanks to the efforts of Salman Butt and Khurram Manzoor, who made light work of a target

  • Another wow from Rao

    Is it sacrilegious to suggest that what Pakistan needs more of is a Rao Iftikhar Anjum and less of the flash that we've become accustomed to? Rao is as far removed from the bling of Pakistan's pace lineage as is possible.

  • Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Karachi

    Match home for the first ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka played in Karachi

  • Pakistan win early Mendis battle

    Whatever Pakistan had planned for Ajantha Mendis, it worked in the first ODI at the National Stadium in Karachi

  • The game is back and it is on

    A fine series is set up. Pakistan will battle, if only because they have hardly played. Sri Lanka will be formidable hurdles to overcome

Pakistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st168Salman ButtKhurram Manzoor
2nd37Younis KhanSalman Butt
3rd15Shoaib MalikSalman Butt