Pakistan were waltzing at 76 for 1 from 13 overs when a moment of madness, which led to Mohammad Hafeez's run-out, cracked open the game. Inevitably, the drama coincided with Muttiah Muralitharan's introduction. Hafeez didn't budge after sweeping to short fine-leg but Kamran Akmal charged across to the other end. Kumar Sangakkara too panicked, and hurled the throw wide over a bewildered Murali, but mid-off was backing up. In the resulting chaos, Hafeez wandered out his crease, and was run out. Inexplicably, Kamran changed his game after that, withdrawing into a shell and Sri Lanka closed in. Kamran combusted soon, going for an insane slog against Pakistan's bogey man Rangana Herath to leave the game tantalisingly poised at the half-way mark in Colombo.
Until that misunderstanding, Kamran and Hafeez were scripting a charming partnership, filled with dare and skill. Hafeez, as ever, looked compact and was in the mood to take ownership of the innings. He shrugged off the fall of his opening partner and unfurled a series of classy hits. He warmed up with a punchy drive through cover point off Thisara Perera and began to flow with a delectable late steer to the backward-point boundary against Nuwan Kulasekara. He turned imperious in the seventh over, again off Kulasekara, with an audacious heaved six over deep midwicket on a bent knee and a cheeky lap shot past short fine-leg.
The runs were coming easily, especially with Kamran too looking in flowing form. Everything from Kamran's repertoire was showcased: the crispy square drive, the cut, the punch through cover point and he even threw in a skilful flick over square-leg after walking across the stumps.
Everything was looking good for Pakistan but then that run-out happened, Kamran grew defensive, Sri Lankan spinners seized the moment, and the game slowly returned to balance.
No comments:
Post a Comment