It's been an amazing nail-biter. Andrew Fernando is updating his match report as I type and there will be more news later. So keep an eye for it. Thanks for yours comments and feedback, it's time to say goodbye. Devashish Fuloria signing off. Ciao cioa.
"The amount of talent that we have got, it's unbelievable," Mathews says."The way Sanga and Chandimal batted, they set it up for us. Initially, Malinga and Kulasekara bowled really well to pull them back. They were cruising at 160 for 3 and were set for a biggie. Prasanna is an unbelivable player, he can hit the ball a long way, but I had to share my thoughts, my experience with him. I am glad we were able to pull it through. It was a good fighting performance today."
"Looking at the wicket, it was really a good score,"Misbah says."We were in control, but one or two bad overs cost us the game. You have to be there for the full 100 overs. They are a good team and we know each other very well, so it's game on."
Ahmed Shehzad is the Golden Player of the Match, Shahid Afridi wins the Master Blaster award and Junaid Khan wins some cash too for his bowling. He is the Circle Player of the Match. Ahmed Shehzad gets a Highest scorer award.. The list is unending. Junaid is back to collect another prize for outstanding performance.. Wait. There is another one. Ahmed Shehzad gets one for hitting most fours... And of course, there is the final award. Angelo gets something. He is the Man of the Match
What a cracker! Sri Lanka are back in the series with a plucky win here. The series goes 1-1. Pakistan bowlers pulled things back magnificently after Dilshan and KJP had given Sri Lanka a good start, but Sanga and Chandimal didn't give it away in the face of some good bowling..Then they started playing their shots. Then they got out.. But Angelo and a little cameo from Kula as well, they all added up..A nailbiting two-wicket win for Sri Lanka. Well played both teams.
Gayan: "The Mathews & Karunaratne partnership is something that's theoretically very easy, but given the situation - very tough to achieve. Nice work by both teams. Loving this series." Vinoj Jayasundara: "SL clearly enjoying the benefit of having 10 batsmen in the team..."
Andy: "The best thing that Sri Lanka takes out of this game is not the win but the knowledge that Dimuth Karunaratne is a much better choice for the ODI team than Lahiru Thirimanne."
Chathuranga: "Yeeeeeeeeeeee we won the match... Congratulations Sri Lanka......!!!! I wish if I could be in Dubai to celebrate the victory...!!!" RK: "Very impressed by Mathews' calm attitude. May not be the best captain, but he's getting there."
AliJee: "Things would have been different if Mishab has brought his strike bowlers early in the innings. He made SL to build up their innings & confidence, applying his best when Sanga & Chandima were well set. It was fairly a difficult looking total. But cracking knock by the captain & well played SL."
Essam: "Those four overthrows are now looking more than painful."
Two runs, three balls..Take it easy, says Lala to his troops
The field comes in.. Only long on is out there.
Senanayake is here. Four runs.. Five balls
AD Mathews c Ahmed Shehzad b Shahid Afridi 47 (82m 44b 2x4 0x6) SR: 106.81
Lala comes to bowl the last over.. Just four needed. One hit. That's hit. Can Afridi take Angelo out and make it interesting?
parag bhandari: "Mathews has 100+ strike rate without even getting noticed."
Gaurav Manchanda: "Mathews doing Dhoni here; dhoni tries to finish the game by 49.3 overs he never takes to 49.5"
END OF OVER:49 | 12 Runs | SL: 281/7 (4 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 5.73, RRR: 4.00)
- Angelo Mathews47 (43b)
- Dimuth Karunaratne16 (12b)
- Junaid Khan10-0-52-3
- Sohail Tanvir9-0-58-0
12 runs of that over. .That's more or less game set match. Or is it?
