Thisara Perera put in an all round performance to help Sri Lanka to a 77 run win over Pakistan in the second One Day International (ODI) of the three match series against Pakistan being played in Hambantota.
Perera claimed three wickets in his three overs as Pakistan collapsed yet again from 192-5 to 233 all out in 43.5 overs.
Chasing 311 runs to win, Pakistan lost Sharjeel Khan in the fourth over. But Mohammad Hafeez struck 62 runs as he put on 94 runs with Ahmed Shehzad for the second wicket.
Shehzad went on to score 56 runs. Skipper Misbahul Haq then put on 45 runs with Fawad Alam, scoring 36 runs in the process. But once Misbah was dismissed, Alam found it hard to find a stable partner.
The three match series is now leveled at 1-1.
Earlier, captain Angelo Mathews played another special knock but failed to score an elusive One Day International (ODI) century as Sri Lanka posted a massive 310 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the second match of the three match series against Pakistan being played in Hambantota.
Mathews was involved in two significant partnerships with former captain Mahela Jayawardene and Thisara Perera as the hosts recovered from a mid-innings slump to put Pakistan under intense pressure.
All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez bowled a brilliant spell in the power-play overs (36-40) claiming three wickets for a mere five runs to check Sri Lanka’s progress after a bright start. Hafeez got rid of the dangerous Mahela Jayawardene (67), Seekkuge Prasanna (1) and Ashan Priyanjan (3) as the hosts slumped from 184 for three to 194 for six; Jayawardene had added 122 runs for the fourth wicket.
Pakistan was the better placed side after 40 overs with the scoreboard reading 209 for six. At this juncture Mathews (93) and Perera (65 off 36) pummelled the undisciplined Pakistan pace trio of Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz to add 101 runs in the 10 overs of their batting stint.
Perera especially took heavy toll on the left-arm pacers smashing four sixes and five fours in his whirlwind cameo. Junaid who had a rough outing in the first match had another forgetful afternoon conceding 64 runs in only eight overs.
Irfan went for 65 runs in his 10 over quota, his last over leaked 19 runs. Wahab picked four expensive wickets conceding 65 runs also in his 10 overs.
Perera’s stand with Mathews yielded 87 runs in only 45 balls.
The visitors who brought in Sharjeel Khan in place of Younus Khan who flew home following the death of his nephew would be pinning hopes on their seven frontline batsmen and the power of Shahid Afridi.