Debutant, Akram power Pak revival

Debutant, Akram power Pak revival
Shahid Hashmi

RAWALPINDI, MAR 1: A ninth-wicket stand between Arjuna Ranatunga and Romesh Kaluwitharana helped Sri Lanka down Pakistan by two wickets in the first cricket Test on Wednesday.

The pair put on 43 to help outlast the home team in a nerve-wrecking finish with close shaves and tantalizing efforts for each run. Kaluwitharana, who finished with 36 not out, hit two boundaries off Waqar Younis to bring Sri Lanka's eighth win in the last 18 Tests.

Ranatunga, batting with a broken left thumb, finished with 29 not out as Sri Lanka achieved their victory target 220 with 9.1 overs to go in the match. The home team, though reduced to three bowlers, made a match of it but in the end were left to rue a low score in the first innings and missed chances.

With 77 needed at tea and six wickets intact Sri Lanka held the advantage but pacer Abdur Razzak snared two wickets off two balls to set a thrilling finish. Twenty-year-old Razzak had Nuwan Zoysa caught in the second slip by Wajahatullah Wasti and yorked Pramodya Wickremasinghe next ball to send the 12,000-strong crowd to their feet sensing a home win.

Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 34 runs after tea, leaving all the guesses open. Zoysa helped Kaluwitharana add a valuable 25 runs for the seventh wicket. But Pakistan missed a golden opportunity when Kaluwitharana was let off by Waqar Younis at mid-on off Razzak at 172-6 and then failed to run out Arjuna Ranatunga with 40 to get.

At 146-5 Arjuna Ranatunga had to retire after he was hit on the left thumb by Waqar Younis. The diminutive Ranatunga returned back at 177-8, his team still 43 away from victory. "It was a tense finish but I think our boys did well to pull off this win," Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya, who came from series wins over Australia and Zimbabwe last year, said.

Pakistan continued their remarkable fightback in the match, claiming three wickets in the first session of the day to hold the slight advantage for the first time in the match. Resuming at 11-0, Sri Lanka added 66 runs in the first session losing opener Marvan Atapattu (10) Russel Arnold (6) and Aravinda de Silva (21).

Younis forced Marvan Atapattu to edge an outgoing delivery in the second over of the day to first slip where Saqlain Mushtaq held an easy catch. Mushtaq, who recovered in time to take the field after having dehydration problems on day four, held his second catch off Younis when Russel Arnold failed to draw his bat away. Sri Lanka lost their second wicket at 34. De Silva survived a confident leg before shout on the first ball off Younis and a run out. He hit four well-timed boundaries before snicking to wicketkeeper Moin Khan off Razzak. Sri Lanka went into lunch struggling at 77-3, still needing 143 to win. (AFP)

Pakistan (1st innings) 182
Sri Lanka (1st innings) 353

Pakistan (2nd innings) 390
Sri Lanka (2nd innings): M Atapattu c Saqlain b Younis 10, S Jayasuriya c Sohail b Razzak 56, R Arnold c Saqlain b Younis 6, A de Silva c Moin b Razzak 21, M Jayawardene c Youhanna b Saqlain 35, A Ranatunga not out 29, R Kaluwitharana not out 36, C Vaas run out 0, N Zoysa c Wasti b Razzak 13, P Wickremasinghe b Razzak 0; Extras (b1, lb11, nb2) 14
Total (for 8 wickets, in 83.5 overs) 220
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-34, 3-73, 4-116, 5-144, 6-152, 7-177, 8-177.

Bowling: Younis 24.5-6-78-2, Razzak 26-6-56-4, Saqlain Mushtaq 33-8-74-1.

Note: Arjuna Ranatunga retired hurt after scoring 8 at the score of 146-5 and returned at 177-8.