23/11Result
5th ODI (D/N), Sri Lanka tour of United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi, Nov 23 2011
Pakistan won by 3 wkts (16b rem)
Player of the Match
Umar Akmal
Umar AkmalPakistan
23/11Result
5th ODI (D/N), Sri Lanka tour of United Arab Emirates at Abu Dhabi, Nov 23 2011
Pakistan won by 3 wkts (16b rem)
Player of the Match
Umar Akmal
Umar AkmalPakistan

Right, that brings our end to the coverage of the ODI series and I thoroughly enjoyed doing the match reports for the first four games and the commentary today. We have one Two left to go, and Sri Lanka will be desperate to win that. Join us on Friday night for that one. Until then, this is Nitin Sundar signing out. Cheers and bye!

We are informed that Umar Akmal has been named the Man of the Match. We don't have confirmation, but Shahid Afridi is the Man of the Series. That is a no-brainer really.

Pakistan are now fifth on the ICC ODI ranking table, with 108 points. Sri Lanka are fourth with 112, and England sixth with 106.

You just have to love the way Pakistan go through their ODI cricket. For my money, they have the best bowling attack in the world now, and under Misbah the batting has acquired the rigour and discipline that was absent earlier. Plenty to ponder for SL, though. Murali's retirement is only one part of the story - their shocking top-order batting is a bigger worry. We saw it all again today.

47.2
4
Fernando to Umar Akmal, FOUR, All over. Umar's had enough of suicidal strokes, so he finishes it off by himself. Short ball angling in at good pace, but he latches onto it in a flash and heave-pulls wide of mid-on for an authoritative four. He bends and performs the sajda before marching out of the field. Pakistan have thumped Sri Lanka 4-1.

Ajmal is the new man in.

47.1
W
Fernando to Sohail Tanvir, OUT, Pakistan are trying their hardest to funk this. Tanvir's turn now. Tries to lash it away over midwicket and gets a top edge that loops up and lands in midwicket's hands. Four to win for one side. Three for the other.

Sohail Tanvir c Chandimal b Fernando 1 (18m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 16.66

END OF OVER:
47 | 4 Runs | PAK: 215/6 (4 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 4.57, RRR: 1.33)

  • Umar Akmal57 (59b)
  • Sohail Tanvir1 (5b)
  • Lasith Malinga9-2-28-1
  • Dilhara Fernando9-0-43-1
46.6
0
Malinga to Umar Akmal, no run, short of a length to finish the over, Umar hops on the back foot and defends to the off side.
46.5
0
Malinga to Umar Akmal, no run, another one. This one porbably wasn't short enough to be called. Umar ducks under it again.
46.4
0
Malinga to Umar Akmal, no run, yet another bouncer. Who said lack of bouncers makes this a batsman's game? Umpires just aren't counting bouncers anymore. Bowl 6 of 'em if you like.
46.3
4
Malinga to Umar Akmal, FOUR, Umar is sealing the deal with some pretty strokes. Slower ball wide of off stump 123 kph, Umar crouches low and makes a sirgical incision through backward point. A shot away from 4-1.
46.2
0
Malinga to Umar Akmal, no run, short length, Umar guides it to point and still can't get the single.
46.1
0
Malinga to Umar Akmal, no run, Malinga is still trying the bouncers, Umar ducks for safety under this one.

END OF OVER:
46 | 8 Runs | PAK: 211/6 (8 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 4.58, RRR: 2.00)

  • Sohail Tanvir1 (5b)
  • Umar Akmal53 (53b)
  • Dilhara Fernando9-0-43-1
  • Lasith Malinga8-2-24-1
45.6
0
Fernando to Sohail Tanvir, no run, back of a length slower ball, Tavir mis-hits the heave to mid-on.
45.6
1w
Fernando to Sohail Tanvir, 1 wide, Dilhara over-cooks the bouncer, and it sails over the head of the keeper.
45.5
1
Fernando to Umar Akmal, 1 run, back of the hand slower ball, Umar spots it and defends towards cover-point.
45.4
4
Fernando to Umar Akmal, FOUR, What a live-wire of a fifty after coming in to face a hat-trick ball. Back of a length outside off, he sets up a solid base and pieces it decisively through the covers. Stupendous timing and placement.

"There was once a young batsman named Akmal, Who was gifted a boundary by Chandimal, 2nd line is not of importance prime, Included only to make the Limerick rhyme, But had oodles of talent that young man Akmal." Mojo takes redundancy to new levels in that limerick!

45.3
0
Fernando to Umar Akmal, no run, Sanga goes up in earnest for a caught behind appeal. Not given, and Sri Lanka have reviewed it. Whoa, Dilhara has nearly over-stepped, but he's ok, only just ... Now on to the actual action. Back of a length outside off, Umar was trying to stay beside the line and angle it down to third man. He gets as close to the ball as possible without getting a definitive nick. There isn't any deviation, and no noise either. I think Umar is safe. Sanga wasn't as confident about going for the review, as he was with the appeal. Original appeal stays.
45.2
1
Fernando to Sohail Tanvir, 1 run, too much width outside off, Tanvir cracks it away to deep point for a single.
45.1
1
Fernando to Umar Akmal, 1 run, back of a length on the pads, Umar coolly takes a single. Over to Tanvir ...

Dilhara continues.

END OF OVER:
45 | 1 Run 1 Wkt | PAK: 203/6 (16 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 4.51, RRR: 3.20)

  • Sohail Tanvir0 (3b)
  • Umar Akmal47 (49b)
  • Lasith Malinga8-2-24-1
  • Jeevan Mendis7-0-36-3
44.6
0
Malinga to Sohail Tanvir, no run, another short one, outside off this time, and Tanvir fends it away adequately. Life should be easier next over.

Short leg comes in to take anything that pops.

44.5
0
Malinga to Sohail Tanvir, no run, another bouncer! Tanvir plays it just as badly as Afridi did, jus pops it up in front of him. There's no one to take it ...

Match Coverage

All Match News

  • Misbah thrilled with 'outstanding performance'

    Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, has termed his side's 4-1 humbling of World Cup finalists Sri Lanka in the one-day series in UAE an "outstanding performance"

  • Back to the drawing board for Dilshan

    Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has asked his batsmen to take responsibility and arrest their worrying slide, after his team shuddered to a 4-1 defeat in the ODI series against Pakistan

  • Khalil replaces Junaid for Bangladesh tour

    Junaid Khan, the Pakistan fast bowler, will be out of cricket for six weeks after sustaining a partial tear in his abdominal muscle

  • Umar and Tanvir make it 4-1 for Pakistan

    A four-wicket haul from Sohail Tanvir and a fluent stand between captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal were the stand-out features of Pakistan's convincing win in the dead rubber played on a slow pitch

Pakistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st25Mohammad HafeezAsad Shafiq
2nd26Younis KhanAsad Shafiq
3rd62Younis KhanMisbah-ul-Haq
4th0Shoaib MalikMisbah-ul-Haq
5th84Misbah-ul-HaqUmar Akmal
6th5Shahid AfridiUmar Akmal
7th13Sohail TanvirUmar Akmal
8th4Saeed AjmalUmar Akmal