PAK v SL, 1st ODI, Karachi: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets (PAK: 1-0)
Jan 20, 2009
Opener Salman Butt hit a sparkling century and paceman Rao Iftikhar returned career-best bowling figures as Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first day-night international at Karachi.
The left-handed Butt scored a 117-ball 100 and put on a solid 168-run opening stand with Khurram Manzoor (83) as the home team chased down a modest target of 220 with 4.1 overs to spare at the National Stadium. The win gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second match will also be played today. The final match is in Lahore Saturday.
Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for 219 in 45.2 overs, failed to put up a solid resistance and their celebrated spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis were rendered ineffective by Pakistan’s aggressive approach.
Mendis, who was tipped to dominate the home batsmen after taking four wickets against Pakistan and six against India in Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup win here last year, failed to live up to the billing, finishing with 41-0.
Butt, who reached his eighth one-day hundred with a single, hit 13 boundaries in his 117-ball knock.
Manzoor, who scored his previous best of 69 against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi last year, hit nine boundaries off 128-balls before he gave a return catch to Muralitharan with just 52 needed for victory.
PAK v SL, 1st ODI, Karachi: Pakistan 220-2 (45.5 overs) beat Sri Lanka 219 (45.2 overs) by 8 wickets
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The Champions Twenty20 League, formed with the official sanction of ICC will kick off in October 2008. Eight domestic teams from four nations will participate. Cricket Australia will partner the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA). The champion team in the Champions Twenty20 league will get US $5 million, which is the highest ever prize money for a cricket event.
