Saturday, February 21, 2009

Sri Lanka make crisp start against Pakistan

KARACHI: Opener Malinda Warnapura and Kumar Sangakkara scored crisp half centuries to lead Sri Lanka to 120 for two against Pakistan at lunch on the opening day of the first Test in Karachi on Saturday.

Sangakkara was unbeaten on 51 while captain Mahela Jayawardene was on five at lunch after Tharanga Paranavitana fell for a first ball duck on his debut at National Stadium.

Pakistan awarded Test caps to opener Khurrum Manzoor and pacer Sohail Khan. Sri Lanka won the toss and batted first on a pitch which offered some movement to the fast bowlers.

Umar Gul struck for the home side on the fourth ball of the first over when he had Paranavitana caught at second slip by Misbah-ul-Haq.

Warnapura and Sangakkara then teamed up to play some fluent shots, putting on 90 from 105 balls as the tourists made steady progress.

Warnapura hit seven fours in his sixth Test fifty before he was also caught at second slip by Misbah off Yasir Arafat who was Pakistan's best bowler in the session.

Sangakkara also made his 29th Test fifty from 84 balls, striking six fours.

Pakistan is playing its first Test after 14 months after overseas teams refused to tour the country because of security fears.

Soruce:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sri-Lanka-make-crisp-start-against-Pakistan/articleshow/4165570.cms

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