Player of the Match
Player of the Match
2075dThe Report by Siddhartha Talya

Sri Lanka take series after aborted chase

Sri Lanka's focus turned to securing their 1-0 lead and they changed their approach to a chase of 270 after tea to settle for a draw

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Azhar Ali
Azhar Ali
136(284) 13x4 - 0x6
Control %89%
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 58 runs
  • 8x4 - 0x6
6 2 11 20 54 17 9 17
Asad Shafiq
Asad Shafiq
100(195) 9x4 - 0x6
Control %90%
  • Productive Shot
  • leg glance
  • 35 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
0 7 17 6 22 5 12 30

Best performances - Bowlers

Junaid Khan
Junaid Khan
O28.2
M3
R70
W5
Eco2.47
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
NLTC Perera
NLTC Perera
O18
M5
R63
W4
Eco3.50
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Match Details

Toss

Sri Lanka , elected to field first

Player Of The Match

Player Of The Series

Series result

Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 1-0

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

09.45am start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.55-15.15, Close 17.15

Match days

8,9,10,11,12 July 2012 (5-day match)

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Scorecard Summary

PAKISTAN 226(72.5 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

SRI LANKA 337(100.2 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

PAKISTAN 380/8d(128.4 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

SRI LANKA 195/4(62 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

Scorer: S Balasubramanian | Commentator: Abhishek Purohit

END OF OVER:
62 | 8 Runs | SL: 195/4

  • Kumar Sangakkara74 (125b)
  • Angelo Mathews1 (18b)
  • Saeed Ajmal26-8-50-3
  • Mohammad Sami8-0-23-0

That brings us to the end of this Test series. Abhishek Purohit signing off, leaving you with Sid Talya's match report. There will be more from our man in Pallekele, Kanishkaa Balachandran, later. For the moment, it is goodbye from us

Mahela lifts the series trophy, and carries it towards his waiting team-mates

Mahela: "I think we have won the series, right? [when asked why they did not go for the runs]. We fought in tough situations, guys performed under pressure. When we came into the last hour, we realised it was not within our reach as we had lost a couple of wickets. Chandimal's wicket was very crucial, we shut shop after that, but obviously till then, the intent was to win the match. It was a very hard series for us. Given the kind of armoury Pakistan have, they should be ranked higher in the ICC rankings. Everyone should take a lot of credit for the hard work [for the series win]."

Misbah: "After the first game, really happy with the way we performed. Azhar Ali and Shafiq did really well, the way Adnan played with a broken finger, Junaid is a positive for us the way he bowled, we fought back after the first game. when you are not having a regular keeper, it puts pressure on your bowlers also. The pitch was live for first two days and after that it was really flat, nothing on it, if it would have been a five-day match, we could have had a result. We were behind in the first game, it cost us the series."

Man of the Series is Sangakkara for making 490 runs in three games at 163.33, getting out only thrice in six innings, and twice making 190s. Sangakkara: "Thisara came in and got us into a good position. Chandimal did well in the opening slot. Pakistan put us under pressure but our guys showed a lot of character. Since Murali, it has been a tough run for us. We have got to get used to playing without the greatest of all cricketers."

Man of the Match is Shafiq for his match-saving second-innings century. Shafiq: "It was challenging, I had to build a partnership. I would like to thank Adnan the way he played."

Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Junaid Khan providing a glimpse into Pakistan's future, and it looks to be in safe hands

The Galle Test proving to be the difference in the end; it was marred by several umpiring decisions going against Pakistan, but Sri Lanka were still the better side in that game. That apart, not much to choose between the two sides

Absorbing Test in the end, but you have to think Sri Lanka could have been more positive on day five. They sat back in the morning, allowing Shafiq and Adnan to build a big partnership, and then shut shop after tea in the chase.

That is the end of that. The teams have decided to call it off, and Sri Lanka have their first Test series win since August 2009. They went without a win for eight series since beating New Zealand 2-0 at home. And for Pakistan, it is their first series loss since going down 1-3 to England in July 2010. So their unbeaten run has lasted seven series

Kavindi: "I wasn't even this disappointed when we lost to SA last year. Absolute rubbish!!!" Lots of Sri Lanka fans writing in with similar sentiments after their decision not to go for the runs, they completely bottled up after tea

61.6
4
Saeed Ajmal to Sangakkara, FOUR, fired in, nudged very fine off the pads
61.5
0
Saeed Ajmal to Sangakkara, no run, pushed down the pitch, Ajmal rushes to his left and tumbles to stop it
61.4
4
Saeed Ajmal to Sangakkara, FOUR, a rare loose ball from Ajmal, short and skidding in with the angle, Sanga rocks back and pulls hard over midwicket

Nick: "Look on the bright side, Sri Lanka have finally won a series."

61.3
0
Saeed Ajmal to Sangakkara, no run, very full, defended to silly point
61.2
0
Saeed Ajmal to Sangakkara, no run, presses forward and defends it down the pitch
61.1
0
Saeed Ajmal to Sangakkara, no run, pressed off the front foot, runs it behind point

Sri Lanka 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st44NT ParanavitanaLD Chandimal
2nd88KC SangakkaraLD Chandimal
3rd18DPMD JayawardeneKC Sangakkara
4th28TT SamaraweeraKC Sangakkara
5th17KC SangakkaraAD Mathews