The players walk back to the pavilion after handshakes all round. This is a crushing defeat for Sri Lanka, and with the second game tomorrow, they hardly have any time to lift themselves.
Salman Butt and Khurram Manzoor provided what Pakistan have usually lacked in recent years, a solid opening partnership. The much vaunted Murali-Mendis combo didn't quite fire today, and Sri Lanka's attack looked like it needed some firepower with the new ball.
Pakistan's new-ball bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Sohail Tanvir, didn't have the best of games but Umar Gul and Rao Iftikhar provided the timely breakthroughs to peg Sri Lanka back. The visitors need to sort out their batting troubles as they managed to fritter a fantastic start from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya. Jehan Mubarak hasn't been in form for a while now, and could get the axe tomorrow.
Salman Butt says it an important win for Pakistan as they were playing at home after such a long time. He praises his side's bowlers for doing a tremendous job on a pitch which didn't provide too much assistance to them. He also said that there was a plan to tackle Mendis, and that they played each ball on its merits as the required-rate wasn't too high right from the start.
At the presentation ceremony, Mahela Jayawardene says the match was lost by the poor batting, and wants his team to put this game behind and come out fresh tomorrow.
Shoaib Malik says Umar Gul and Rao Iftikhar have been bowling really well recently, even in the three one-dayers against West Indies. "It is very easy to captain these guys."
Salman Butt is declared the Man of the Match for his eighth ODI century.
Thanks for joining us today. Do log in for tomorrow's game as well. This is Siddarth Ravindran signing off
The scores are now level
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
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.
Match home for the first ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka played in Karachi
Whatever Pakistan had planned for Ajantha Mendis, it worked in the first ODI at the National Stadium in Karachi
A fine series is set up. Pakistan will battle, if only because they have hardly played. Sri Lanka will be formidable hurdles to overcome
