Murali guides SL to 41-run win over Pakistan

Muttiah Muralitharan took three wickets to guide Sri Lanka to a 41-run victory over Pakistan in the opening match of the Sharjah Cup on Monday.

Abdur Razzaq top scored with 56 off 72 balls but Pakistan were bowled out for 201 chasing 243 for victory as Muralitharan finished with three for 27 from 10 overs.

Earlier, Sanath Jayasuriya (87) and Russel Arnold (57) slammed contrasting half centuries as Sri Lanka set their opponents a demanding total. Jayasuriya hit a blistering 87 while Arnold compiled a patient 57 in a total of 242 for nine.

Pakistan, docked one over for a slower bowling rate, stuttered early in their innings, losing the first four wickets for 65 runs by the 19th over.

Inzamam-ul Haq was shaping well on 37 but a lapse in concentration cost him his wicket. He lazily went forward to Muralitharan but missed his intended defensive push and was stumped by Romesh Kaluwitharana.

Razzaq and Rashid Latif shared in a brisk sixth wicket stand of 72 runs in 85 balls before Muralitharan broke the partnership.

He had Latif caught by Chaminda Vaas for 41 and then snapped up Wasim Akram for six.

Pakistan needed to score 78 in the last 10 overs but they refused to give up, rattling up 19 runs in an over from Charita Buddhika of which Razzaq alone scored 16.

The fruitful over narrowed the equation down to 50 runs in 36 balls, but Sri Lanka kept their cool to bowl out Pakistan for 201 in 45.5 overs.

Jayasuriya, unruffled by an early loss of wickets, held centre-stage in Sri Lanka's innings.

The left-hander lit up the proceedings when he reeled off 22 runs in an over from Razzaq, the sequence of his runs being 4, 4, 0, 6, 4 and 4.

Jayasuriya put on 50 for the opening wicket with a subdued Kumar Sangakkara but when he was dismissed in the 25th over, the run-rate fell.

Upul Chandana chipped in with 30 and Arnold dug in before Shoaib Akhtar, who finished with 3-30, wrapped up the innings as the last three wickets for two runs.

Mail Cricket Editor