Maqsood, Fawad stun Sri Lanka in thrilling chase

Aug 23, 2014

Dark clouds surrounded the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium ahead of the series opener and following two bouts of rain, the game was reduced to 45-overs per side•AFP

Upul Tharanga did not last too long either and edged Wahab Riaz behind to the keeper for 18•AFP

Mahela Jayawardene eased the pressure by keeping the score ticking without taking any risks•AFP

Ashan Priyanjan used the scoop to great effect, contributing a 15-ball 39 as Sri Lanka looted 105 runs from the last 10 overs to reach 275 for 7•AFP

Meanwhile, Ahmed Shehzad continued at the other end at a brisk pace but fell one short of his fifty as...•AFP

Sohaib Maqsood made sure Pakistan were still in the hunt with a fighting fifty•AFP

Pakistan inserted Sri Lanka and made an early breakthrough when Mohammad Irfan, playing his first ODI since November 2013, trapped Tillakaratne Dilshan lbw•AFP

Kumar Sangakkara began brightly, but could not build on his start and chopped Mohammad Hafeez straight to Ahmed Shehzad at point•AFP

Angelo Mathews also began watchfully, but showed more intent as the innings wore on, finishing with a career-best 89•AFP

Pakistan started steady before Mathews gave the hosts a double blow - dismissing Mohamamd Hafeez and Younis Khan in his successive overs•AFP

...Thisara Perera got a ball to sneak through his bat and pad•AFP

Fawad Alam and Maqsood put on 147 for the sixth wicket to take the score past 250 and turned the tables on Sri Lanka•AFP

Irfan kept peppering the batsmen with short deliveries and his set-up eventually accounted for Dinesh Chandimal, who top-edged a pull to Riaz, as Sri Lanka fell to 75 for 4•AFP

Jayawardene was run out for 63, but a well-set Mathews ensured the boundaries kept flowing•AFP

Umar Akmal didn't last too long either and fell for 15 after striking two boundaries•AFP

Rangana Herath dented Pakistan's chances further, having Misbah-ul-Haq caught behind, which left the score at 106 for 5•AFP

Even though Fawad fell for a 61-ball 62, Shahid Afridi joined Maqsood and hit the winning runs in the last over•AFP