JOIN USUmar Gul sliced through the Sri Lanka top order on Thursday to set up an untroubled six wickets win for Pakistan in a rain-shortened first one-day international at the Pallakele Stadium.
Paceman Gul finished with three for 24 in a modest Sri Lanka total of 135 for eight off 42 overs. Pakistan reached 135 for four off 34.1 overs to win on the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Sri Lanka, who opted to bat on a difficult pitch after winning the toss, had their innings interrupted three times by rain and lost half their side for 41 runs by the 15th over.
Pakistan kept up the pressure when their third seamer Mohammad Sami picked up the wickets of Kumar Sangakkara for nine and Angelo Mathews for a duck in his first two overs. He went on to take three for 19.
Lahiru Thirimanne and Nuwan Kulasekara restored some stability to the batting, putting together a partnership of 50 for the eighth wicket.
Pakistan's target score under the Duckworth-Lewis method was 135 and, despite losing two early wickets for 27, they played risk-free cricket to get home. Opener Mohammad Hafeez made 37.
SRI LANKA
Jayawardene lbw Gul 3
Dilshan c Ajmal b Gul 5
Sangakkara lbw Sami 9
Chandimal b Gul 0
Tharanga b Hafeez 10
Mathews c Misbah b Sam i 0
Thirimanne (not out) 42
Perera lbw Hafeez 17
Kulasekara c Tanvir b Sami 18
Herath (not out) 0
Extras (LB-7, W-23, NB-1) 31
Total (8 wkts; 42 overs) 135
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-12, 3-23, 4-40, 5-41, 6-56, 7-81, 8-131.
Bowling: Gul 9-2-24-3, Tanvir 8-0-30-0, Sami 6-2-19-3, Hafeez 10-3-20-2, Ajmal 5-0-23-0, Afridi 4-2-12-0.
Pakistan
Hafeez st Sangakkara b Herath 37
Azhar c Sangakkara b Malinga 3
Younus b Kulasekara 5
Misbah (run out) 30
U Akmal (not out) 36
Afridi (not out) 2
Extras (B-2, LB-13, W-7) 22
Total (for 4 wkts, 34.1 overs) 135
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-27, 3-78, 4-133.
Bowling: Lasith Malinga 7-2-24-1, Kulasekara 9-3-29-1, Angelo Mathews 6-1-18-0, Perera 6.1-0-31-0, Herath 6-0-18-1.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks