Akram passes 450 ODI wickets

Wasim Akram passed 450 wickets in one-day cricket as Pakistan held Sri Lanka to 239 for six off 50 overs in the Sharjah Cup on Friday.

Wasim, the only bowler to take more than 400 wickets in both Tests and ODIs, teamed up with fellow paceman Waqar Younis to unseat the Sri Lanka top order, each bowler taking two wickets as Sri Lanka were reduced to 41 for four after 11 overs.

But Sri Lanka remained calm and managed to build a respectable target around solid innings from Marvan Atapattu, who made 77 not out, and Upul Chandana (64).

Atapattu shared a 91-run fifth-wicket stand with Russel Arnold (41), and then put on 107 off 109 balls with Chandana for the sixth wicket.

Chandana's 64 came off 58 balls and included nine fours, before he was bowled by Shoaib Akhtar on the last ball of the innings.

Earlier, Sanath Jayasuriya had threatened to seize the initiative by hitting Waqar for 14 runs in his second over. But Waqar stalled the onslaught when he uprooted the Sri Lankan skipper's middle stump for 23.

Waqar then struck again, forcing a thick edge from Romesh Kaluwitharana (7) to wicketkeeper Rashid Latif who dived to his right to take a low catch.

With Sri Lanka having reached 40 off the first eight overs, Wasim removed Kumar Sangakkara for five, Latif completing the catch behind the stumps to give the bowler his 450th wicket in 327 one-day internationals.

Wasim then had Mahela Jayawardene caught behind for one off his next ball, but Arnold played a defensive push to deny him his hat-trick.

Mail Cricket Editor