Unlike the past, especially the recent years, Pakistan’s approach these days is a whole lot of method and much less frenzy. This perhaps is a direct consequence of Misbah-ul-Haq’s composure as captain. And this indeed is most welcome, for it has brought on something that never was Pakistan’s hallmark: consistency.
With the series at its fag end, the green shirts still closed out the dead-rubber game in a manner most unruffled, their poise something to behold. The margin of victory, a mere three wickets, may not reflect the authority with which it was achieved, as at no point did they look like losing.
Fighting to get back his form, skipper Misbah played a captain’s hand, and in two sizable partnerships first with Younus Khan and then with slightly more intrepid but determined Umar Akmal, he took the side a handshake’s distance from the target. Though wickets fell in a bunch, first Misbah followed by Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir – all three quite needlessly, with the skipper’s penchant for the reverse sweep causing his fall at an inopportune moment – but it did not have any bearing on the result.
It would have been different had the Sri Lankans on a slowish wicket been allowed to get deeper into Pakistan’s middle order early on. But Misbah and Akmal denied them that opening.
As the batting power play was imposed on Pakistan (from over 36 to 40, with them having no choice) the beleaguered Sri Lankan captain in a last throw of the dice pressed his slinging pace ace Lasith Malinga into action. That was to no avail. Malinga was driven imperiously in the covers and then behind the square for fours in successive overs by Akmal. In between, Misbah and Akmal kept rotating the strike quite efficiently, and Pakistan’s run rate galloped. With 50 required off the last 12 overs, the home stretch was well within their sights.
In the quest for 219, Pakistan had faced a hiccup or two. The openers, especially Asad Shafiq, given an opportunity in place of Imran Farhat, got out after getting well set. Younus Khan promised much but was undone by Jeevan Mendis’ leg break that he read to be a googly. Shoaib Malik (what would he do to get some runs with good wife in attendance) followed next ball, conversely reading the googly as leg break. Both perished leg before on successive deliveries, but not just the hat-trick was avoided, a partnership also blossomed that by Misbah’s (66 off 99 balls, five fours) fall had contributed 84 runs to effectively shut the Sri Lankans out.
Afridi and Tanvir did not put much of a price on their wickets, but Akmal, unlike the second one-dayer which was Pakistan’s only defeat during this series, this time round was in a mood to finish and clobbered Dilhara Fernando over long-on for four to seal the victory.
For Akmal this wrapped up a great all-round performance: unconquered 61 at better than a-run-a-ball, and three scalps behind the stumps (two brilliant catches and a highly adept stumping).
Playing only to salvage the much-dented pride, Sri Lanka won the toss and promptly chose to bat in conditions that were overcast, cool and windy. That got Pakistan’s pace duo upfront, this time round Umar Gul and Tanvir, into a swinging mood. Tanvir helped himself to a brace with two lovely deliveries, and Gul didn’t take long to get amongst the wickets. And when Junaid came as first change, he too accounted for Chamara Silva and it seemed Sri Lanka would be shot out for a way below-par total.
Kumar Sangakkara was again left to do a rearguard and he found a keen and willing ally in Angelo Mathews. Both contributed 118 for the fifth wicket at a decent clip, and with conditions having eased out, not sparing any of the Pakistan bowlers. Shahid Afridi went for plenty, Umar Gul was hit over his head for two sixes by Mathews. But once these two departed, Sangakkara snared first by Mohammad Hafeez, none could press on other than a little cameo by Thisara Perera.
The target may have seemed respectable given the Lankan’s plight at four for 46, but it was never going to be enough.
This was an important win in more ways than one. Had Pakistan lost, they would have been back to sixth in the ICC rankings, swapping places with England after having been promoted in the previous game. This is for the first time in two years and a half, since May 2009 to be precise. A couple of other noteworthy stats: out of 10 games as ODI skipper, Misbah has lost just one – earlier this series. Though the other teams involved were Ireland and Zimbabwe, this still is pretty consistent. That the spot-fixing scandal has been good for Pakistan cricket is also beyond a shadow of a doubt. Of the last 34 games, Pakistan has ended up winning 23 – a pretty good run by any standards.
