Sanath Jayasuriya took five for 17 to lead Sri Lanka to an emphatic 119-run win the triangular tournament final on Saturday and keep Pakistan waiting for their first one-day title at home.
In a stunning reversal of form, Sri Lanka, having lost their previous two league games to the hosts, successfully defended a total of 287 despite difficult conditions caused by heavy dew under lights.
Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for 83, being bowled out for 168 in 38 overs after starting well and reaching 85-1.
Veteran Jayasuriya made up for the absence of Muttiah Muralitharan by having a great day with the ball as he took five for 17 after being introduced into the attack in the 24th over.
He was ably supported by leg spinner Upul Chandana who finished with three for 56.
Both made the ball turn appreciably and skid to cause havoc in the Pakistan line-up.
It was Sri Lanka's third major win at the Gaddafi stadium having won the 1996 World Cup final and the Asian Test Championship final in 2002.
But it was something of a surprise coming after the final league match on Thursday when Pakistan had successfully chased a target of 293.
They started the chase well again on Saturday as openers Salman Butt (40) and Yasir Hameed (18) put on 40 in nine overs before Dilhara Fernando took out Yasir's leg stump with his first ball.
Butt and Shoaib Malik (37 from 55 balls) than put on 45 in steady fashion before Butt was bowled by Chandana.
Then came the key moment when seasoned left arm pacer Chaminda Vaas got the prized wicket of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 20th over to leave Pakistan on 91-3.
Vaas, who went for 23 runs in his first spell of four overs, trapped the big man lbw for four with a sharp indipper.
Jayasuriya had the experienced Yousuf Youhana stumped by Kumar Sangakkara for seven and Abdul Razzaq caught at slip by Dilshan.
Chandana finally got rid of the obdurate Malik who was also stumped and the rest of the order offered only temporary resistance.
Sri Lanka
S.Jayantha run out 0
S.Jayasuriya c Inzamam-ul-Haq b Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 21
M.Atapattu st Moin Khan b Shoaib Malik 66
K.Sangakkara b Abdul Razzaq 68
M.ayawardene b Shahid Afridi 49
T.Dilshan b Shahid Afridi 39
U.Chandana b Muhammad Sami 7
C.Vaas not out 18
F.Maharoof not out 2
Extras (lb-5 w-6 nb-6) 17
Total (For seven wickets, 50 overs) 287
Fall of wkts: 1-0, 2-35, 3-141, 4-181, 5-244, 6-257, 7-275
Did not bat: D.Fernando, N.Zoysa
Bowling: Shoaib Akhtar 7-1-41-0, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 7-0-29-1 (w-1), Muhammad Sami 9-0-53-1 (nb-2 w-1), Shahid Afridi 10-0-60-2 (w-2), Shoaib Malik 10-0-56-1 (nb-4 w-2), Abdul Razzaq 7-0-43-1
Pakistan innings
Salman Butt b Chandana 40
Yasir Hameed b Fernando 18
Shoaib Malik st Sangakkara b Chandana 37
Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw Vaas 4
Yousuf Youhana st Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 7
Moin Khan c Sangakkara b Chandana 14
Abdul Razzaq c Dilshan b Jayasuriya 8
Shahid Afridi c Maharoof b Jayasuriya 11
Muhammad Sami c Atapattu b Jayasuriya 4
Rana Naved not out 14
Shoaib Akhtar b Jayasuriya 0
Extras (w-7, nb-4) 11
Total (all out in 38 overs) 168
Fall of wkts: 1-40, 2-85, 3-91, 4-108, 5-124, 6-134, 7-149, 8-150, 9-168
Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 7-0-42-1 (1-nb, 1-w), Nuwan Zoysa 4-1-12-0, Farveez Maharoof 4-0-20-0 (1-w), Dilhara Fernando 5-1-21-1 (3-nb), Upul Chandana 10-0-56-3 (4-w), Sanath Jayasuriya 8-2-17-5 (1-w).
Result: Sri Lanka won by 119 runs
