Cricket: Sri Lanka comfortable in victory

Sri Lanka kept their composure to beat Pakistan by 19 runs in their opening Super Eights match in the World Twenty20 at Lord's yesterday.

Defending a total of 7-150, Sri Lanka remained unbeaten at the tournament as they held Pakistan to a total of 9-131.

Fast bowler Lasith Malinga took three wickets for 18 runs.

Pakistan captain Younus Khan made 50 and put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Misbah-ul-Haq.

But the repair work the duo had carried out after Pakistan had been 3-35 was swiftly undone by the loss of three quick wickets.

They lost two wickets in as many balls to be 5-101 in the 16th over, with Misbah caught sweeping in the deep against Muttiah Muralitharan and the dangerous Shahid Afridi going the same way for a first ball duck.

Earlier, leg-spinner Afridi had kept Pakistan in the game as Sri Lanka, who had been 81 without loss, were restricted to 7-150.

Pakistan's opening bowler Sohail Tanveer went for 18 runs in the first over.

But when Younus skied Malinga to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara, the captain holding the catch despite colliding with Murali, Pakistan were 6-108. Younus had faced 37 balls, hitting four fours.

Pakistan had still to score their first run when left-hander Salman Butt was clean bowled off the third ball of their innings by Angelo Mathews. They then lost two wickets for one run in three balls in the sixth over to collapse to 3-35.

Shoaib Malik, who'd hit five fours in his 28, was undone by Malinga's slower ball and chipped to Nuwan Kulasekara at mid-on. Kamran Akmal was then run out after failing to beat Chamara Silva's throw.

Sri Lanka were 0-81 before Afridi (two wickets for 23 runs off four overs) took two for three in six balls to reduce them to 2-89. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (two for 26) took the key wickets of Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara, stumped by Kamran Akmal, and Mahela Jayawardene, caught in the covers by Afridi.

Openers Tillekaratne Dilshan (46) and Sanath Jayasuriya (26), aided by wayward pace bowling, got Sri Lanka off to a flyer before they fell to Afridi.

Pakistan faced New Zealand at the Oval overnight, while Sri Lanka are back at Lord's tomorrow for a match against Ireland. Sri Lanka also face New Zealand on Wednesday.