Sri Lanka level series beating Pakistan in 2nd ODI

DUBAI: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 25 runs with 21 balls to spare after an interesting contest in the second One-day International played here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Chasing 236 runs to win, Pakistan were all out for 210 in 46.3 overs despite a brilliant knock of 91 by young Umar Akmal.

Other main scorers were Shahid Afridi (29), Sarfraz Ahmed (24) and Misbah-ul-Haq (21) as no other batsmen could resist against the Sri Lankan pacers.

Lasith Malinga grabbed three wickets for 36 runs while Tishara Perera and Dilhara Fernando claimed two wickets each.

Earlier, opener Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene notched fighting half-centuries to propel Sri Lanka to 235-7 .

Tharanga scored 77 while Jayawardene returned to form with 50 as they shared a fourth wicket stand of 85 to lift Sri Lanka, who won the toss and were restricted in the middle overs by a disciplined Pakistan bowling.

The total reflected a big improvement in Sri Lanka's batting after they were bowled out for a mere 131 during their eight-wicket defeat in the first of a five-match series here last Friday.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga gave a solid 56-run start to their team by the 12th over when leg-spinner Shahid Afridi, man-of-the-match in the first match for his 3-27, provided Pakistan with a breakthrough.