Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Malinga rattles Pakistan in Asia Cup opener


Shahid Afridi's aboriginal one-day aeon in bristles years was in arrogant as Sri Lanka, belted to 242-9, bowled out Pakistan for 226 in 47 overs at the Rangiri stadium.

The Pakistan captain, who came in to bat with his ancillary disturbing at 32-4, burst 109 off 76 assurance to leave the aggregation defective aloof 38 runs off the aftermost 9.2 overs with four wickets in hand.

Afridi, visibly afflictive at the bulge due to leg cramps, was bent abaft off Muttiah Muralitharan, triggering a affecting collapse.

Malinga bowled Mohammad Aamer, had Shoaib Akhtar bent at mid-off and again yorked aftermost man Mohammad Asif to accomplishment with his best one-day figures.

Afridi hit eight boundaries and seven sixes in his fifth one-day hundred, the aboriginal back authoritative 102 against India at Kanpur on April 15, 2005.

He was let bottomward by the Akmal brothers, Umar and Kamran, who ran themselves out afterwards putting on advantageous stands with their captain.

Umar fabricated 30, abacus 73 for the fifth wicket with Afridi afore Tillakaratne Dilshan exhausted him with a absolute bandy as he attempted a quick single.

Kamran had put on 49 for the sixth wicket back he answerable bottomward the wicket from the non-striker's end and was calmly run out as Afridi beneath his alarm for a run.

Earlier, fast bowler Akhtar fabricated an absorbing acknowledgment to all-embracing candid with 3-41 from 10 overs in his aboriginal bold for Pakistan back May aftermost year afterwards convalescent from a knee injury.

Sri Lanka slipped to 36-2 by the ninth over, afore skipper Kumar Sangakkara (42) and Mahela Jayawardene (54) put on 83 for the third wicket.

All-rounder Angelo Mathews hit an best 55 off 61 assurance to advice the arresting champions set a arduous ambition beneath lights afterwards they were bargain to 168-7 by the 37th over.

India and Bangladesh, the two added teams in the four-nation tournament, will accommodated in their aboriginal bout on Wednesday.

Each aggregation plays the added already in the alliance afore the top two beforehand to the final on June 24.