Sri Lanka triumphed in a thriller – 5th ODI vs. Pakistan

Sri Lanka 8-235 (Dinesh Chandimal 64*, Kusal Perera 47, Tillakaratne Dilshan 45, Junaid Khan 3-31) beat Pakistan 232 (Misbah-ul-Haq 51, Anwar Ali 41*, Lasith Malinga 4-57) by two wickets.

Dinesh Chandimal led the Islanders to a nail biting victory by a match winning unbroken stand of 40 with Ajantha Mendis in the 5th ODI vs. the Green Shirts.

The Men in Green were bowled out for 232 runs in 49.3 overs and the Lankan Lions thrashed 235 with two wickets remaining and two balls to spare.

Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his brave unbeaten innings of 64 runs.

Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan) was announced ‘Player of the series’ for his outstanding batting in the series.

The fifth and final One Day International was played on Friday, December 27, 2013, at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Dinesh Chandimal - A match winning unbeaten knock of 64 runs
Dinesh Chandimal – A match winning unbeaten knock of 64 runs

Earlier, Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss for the hosts, opted to bat first and lost the first wicket at 30. Mohammad Hafeez got together with Sharjeel Khan who was dismissed at 54 for 18 and the third wicket fell at 70 in 16.1 overs. The skipper came in next and kept on ticking the score board with Mohammad Hafeez. The score was enhanced to 128 when the latter was clean bowled by Angelo Mathews for 41.

Misbah-ul-Haq achieved his 35th ODI fifty and went back to the pavilion for 51 as the total touched 169. The bowlers of the Lankan Lions got into their rhythm and Anwar Ali was the only batsman who survived for 41 as the innings of entire Pakistani team was folded back for 232 with three balls remaining.

Lasith Malinga was the highest wicket taker with four, Suranga Lakmal got three whereas Angelo Mathews and Ajantha Mendis shared one wicket each.

Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan provided a perfect beginning for the Islanders by smashing 68 runs in 10 overs comprising 4 lofty sixes and 6 fours. Mohammad Hafeez got the first breakthrough for the home side by removing Perera at 75 for 47. Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan crept to 113 in 26 overs when the latter was gone for 45 and his partner became the next victim for 22.

Dinesh Chandimal kept the chase alive whereas the wickets kept on crumbling at the other end. The visitors were reeling at 8-195 in 45.3 overs when Ajantha Mendis associated with Chandimal who attained his 10th ODI fifty in the 47th over. Mendis was dropped at two and he made full use of the chance by adding valuable runs with his partner. The pair gathered 15 runs in the 49th over off Umar Gul with two big sixes and the target was achieved on the fourth ball of the last over with another four. Chandimal and Mendis secured their ends for 64 and 19 as the Lankan Lions powered 235.

Junaid Khan was the top wicket taker with three, Saeed Ajmal took two whereas Umar Gul, Anwar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez held one wicket each.

Sri Lanka grasped the interesting final encounter by a margin of two wickets while Pakistan won the series at 3-2.


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