Pakistan smashed again by Sri Lanka

DAMBULLA: Pakistan’s poor batting performance against Sri Lanka continued in the second One-day International when they were beaten again, by six wickets this time, here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday.

Sri Lanka is now leading the five-match series 2-0 as they had won Thursday's opening match at the same venue by 36 runs..

Chasing an easy target of 169 runs, Sri Lanka completed their second successive victory in 43.4 overs after they lost their four wickets on 74.

Chamara Kapugedera and Thilan Samaraweera with a 95-run fifth wicket unbeaten stand took their team to victory with 338 balls left.

Kapugedera made an unbeaten 67 with eight fours and a six while Samaraweera was 38 not out.

Veteran batsman Sanath Jajyasuriya scored 30 from 33 balls with five fours.

For Pakistan, seamers Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Aamer and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took one wicket each.

Earlier, Pakistan, sent in to bat by Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara in overcast conditions, never recovered after losing a wicket off the first ball of the match and were bundled out for 168 runs in 47 overs.

The 26 extras sent down by the Sri Lankan bowlers, including 18 wides, were the highest contributor in Pakistan's dismal batting.

Pakistan's gamble to play two 19-year-olds, Nasir Jamshed and Umar Akmal, in place of senior batsmen Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul Haq did not pay off.

The tourists were reduced to 128-9 before the last pair of Mohammad Aamer (24 not out) and Saeed Ajmal (16) gave the top order a batting lesson by adding 40 runs.

Pakistan captain Younus Khan, who made 23, was the only other batsman to pass 20.

Debutant Umar, younger brother of the team's wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, made a promising 18 during a fourth-wicket stand of 32 with Younus when he was caught behind off Angelo Mathews.

Shahid Afridi threw away his wicket with a wild slog off Muralitharan that was skied to deep mid-wicket.

Opener Jamshed was dismissed off the first ball of the innings when he chased a wide ball from Nuwan Kulasekera into the safe hands of Mahela Jayawardene at second slip and former captain Shoaib Malik was trapped leg-before by Thushara before he had score.

Pakistan were struggling at 87-7 before Abdul Razzaq (17) and Umar Gul (14) put on 38 for the eighth wicket to lift the total past the 100-run mark.

For Sri Lanka, left-arm seamer Thilan Thushara finished with 3-33 and off-spinner Muralitharan claimed 2-41 while Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara and Sanath Jayasuriya took one wicket each.

The third match will be played at the same venue on Monday.