ICC World Twenty 20: Semi Final 1

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to reach final

4/10/12- Sri Lanka 139-4 20 overs (Jayawardene 42) beat Pakistan 123-7 20 overs (Hafeez 42, Herath 3-25) by 16 runs @ Colombo

Sri Lanka have qualified for the final of the ICC World Twenty 20, after beating Pakistan by 16 runs in Colombo.

Kumar Sangakarra won the toss for Sri Lanka and he elected to bat first.  They got off to a solid start, but found run scoring difficult, on a pitch that the New Zealand women struggled on a couple of hours earlier. They didn’t lose a wicket until the 11^thover, when Shahid Afridi had Mahela Jayawardene caught for 42. The skipper looked to up the run rate, but he was the next to fall for 18, as the Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez had him caught.

Dilshan was still at the crease, but was far from his fluent self, as he was scoring well under a run a ball and it was looking increasingly unlikely that Sri Lanka would post a score of 150+. Dilshan finally fell for a 43 ball 35 in the 18^th over, but 21 runs off the final two overs, thanks to Matthews and Perera, the hosts scored 139-4 off their 20 overs.

Pakistan would have been highly confident of chasing the below par, but competitive, score set by their opponents, and they also got off to a solid, but quiet start. However, Sri Lanka managed to do what Pakistan couldn’t, and picked up an early wicket when Ajantha Mendis bowled Imran Nazir in the leg spinner’s first over.

Sri Lanka could have then had Hafeez caught, but former Surrey spinner Rangana Herath put down a tough chance at long off. However, Sri Lanka fought back and picked up 3 wickets inside 2 overs. Nasir Jamshed and Kamran Akmal were both removed by Angelo Matthews, and Shoaib Malik was bowled by Herath, as Pakistan fell to 64-4 in the 11^th over. They could have had 4 quick wickets, but Lasith Malinga inexplicably dropped Hafeez when the Pakistan captain was on 24.

Hafeez was determined to punish Pakistan after the two chances he had been given, as he hit Herath over long off for the first six of the innings. But Herath had his revenge when in his next over, he had Hafeez stumped for 42, as the game was finely balanced. Shahid Afridi was then bowled first ball, his second golden duck of the tournament, as Sri Lanka started to turn the screw.

Pakistan then lost Sohail Tanvir, as victory was looking increasingly likely for Sri Lanka. They needed 27 off the final 2 overs, and the game was all but up when Malinga conceded just 4 off the penultimate over. And Pakistan could only get 11, as Sri Lanka won by 16 runs.

So a 4th consecutive Semi Final appearance for Pakistan, but they have failed to reach the final this year after promising so much. Sri Lanka on the other hand look a fantastic all round team, and few will bet against them on Sunday, especially in front of their own fans.

Tomorrow there is the second Semi Final, with Australia taking on the West Indies.

Man of the Match: Mahela Jayawadene for his 42. Was one of only a couple of batsman who actually adapted to the pitch well.