By Srian Obeyesekere
A biased not out decision by the Pakistan home umpire to an appeal by the Sri Lankans to a plumb LBW delivery by Wanindu Hasaranga before ultimate Player of the Match centurion Pakistan’s Salman Agha had opened his account largely cost Sri Lanka the opening ODI yesterday at Rawalpindi as Pakistan went on to score 299 on an unbeaten 105 by Agha. At that stage Pakistan was reeling on 4 for 95 in 23.2 overs after the Lankan leggie had bowled Babar Azam for 29.
The Lankans could not ask for the review having exhausted their quota as the replays exposed the home umpire’s bias. However, indiscretion by the Lankan skipper in throwing the credo of patience out of the window to rushing down the wicket to Mohammad Nawaz and getting stumped with the score 183 for 4 after 31.4 overs when his wicket was all precious to Sri Lanka’s cause with the name of the game was to stay put and inch on, proved as costly as the umpiring decision in a mess up where overly the failure of the top order to convert good starts to the fifties and higher to seeing the side through glaringly exposed lack of temperament and game plan.
Only Wanindu Hasaranga at No 8 displayed the type of grit and determination needed by a fighting half century 59 hitting 7 boundaries walking into a backfoot 210 for 7 after 37.2 overs when Kamindu Mendis at No 7 fell as he added 37 for the ninth wicket with Dushmantha Chameera off 42 balls before ninth out for 57 off 52 trying to force the pace with 21 needed off 8 as Nassem Shah went on to wrap it up for Pakistan.
But Hasaranga did leave a mark to driving the point he is worth much more in terms of runs and defying bowling attacks higher up the order than wasted down after the horses had bolted.
By and large a wilier attack than the Lankans bar the 3 wicket Hasaranga, made the difference with upfront Haris Rauf in a 3-wicket burst as Sri Lanka slithered from 85 for no loss to 90 for 3 in 12.4 overs with the quick claiming all three wickets that of Kamil Mishara snapped up by Shah Sheen Afridi and Kusal Mendis bowled first ball off successive deliveries and 9 balls later Pathum Nissanka held by Mohammad Rizwan.
Sri Lanka lost by 6 runs with the Lankan specialist batsmen guilty of surrendering the game following an 85 first wicket stand between Pathum Nissanka 29 and Kamil Mishara 39 and well poised on 147 for 3 with one drop Sadeera Samarawickrama and skipper Charith Asalanka having added 57 for the fourth wicket sighting the 300 target.
