Hasan Ali heroics reduce Sri Lanka to 208

Career best figures by Hasan Ali helped Pakistan to bowl out Sri Lanka for 208 runs inside 49 overs in the third ODI here at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium yesterday. Sri Lanka needed to win the game to stay alive in the series, but the batsmen failed to put up a decent show despite a good stand by the openers.

Hasan, who came on aas second change, rocked the Sri Lankan innings. He provided the breakthrough by dismissing Niroshan Dickwella and went onto become the fastest Pakistani to 50 Test wickets. This was his 24th ODI and he broke the record of Waqar Younis, who had achieved the milestone in his 27th match.

Sri Lanka were well placed at 102 for one, but collapsed to 163 for eight as Hasan and leg-spinner Shadab Khan brought Pakistan back into the game.

The batsmen were failing to pick Shadab’s googly and he finished with figures of 37 for two in his ten overs. He dismissed captain Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal, who was pushed back to number-three. Tharanga top-scored with 61 off 80 deliveries.

Hasan was picking up wickets every time he was called up to bowl.

At 163 for eight in the 44th over, it looked all over for Sri Lanka, but Thisara Perera smashed a quick 38 off 37 balls to help Sri Lanka push their total beyond 200. He added 42 runs for the ninth wicket with Dushmantha Chameera.

Perera was last man dismissed when he was run out.

Sri Lanka did two changes for the game bringing in Chamara Kapugedera and Dushmantha Chameera. Kusal Mendis was dropped after a string of low scores while Suranga Lakmal was rested.

Sri Lanka coming into the game had suffered nine straight losses in ODI cricket.