Tuesday 26 August 2014 19:27, UK
Sri Lanka levelled their ODI series with Pakistan with a 77-run win in their rescheduled clash at Hambantota on Tuesday.
The game was due to be played in Colombo's Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday but heavy rain caused the rescheduling and the hosts took full advantage, posting 310-9 in their 50 overs, with skipper Angelo Mathews hitting 93.
Mathews was ably supported by Mahela Jayawardene's 67 and 65 from Thisara Perera, who ensured man-of-the-match honours with 3-19.
In reply, Pakistan made a blistering start to their chase, reaching 100-1 in just 13 overs before falling to 233 all out in 43.5 overs, with Mohammad Hafeez top-scoring with 62.
The result sees Sri Lanka level the series after Pakistan had won the first ODI at the same venue by four wickets and a ball to spare on Saturday. The series decider will now take place in Dambulla on Saturday.
Sri Lanka, having chosen to bat first, were reduced to 62-3 inside 11 overs.
Tillakaratne Dilshan hit three of his 10 balls for four before a debatable caught behind decision in Junaid Khan's favour, before Wahab Riaz accounted for Kumar Sangakkara (11) and Upul Tharanga (27) in successive overs.
That brought Jayawardene and Mathews together and the pair did the heavy lifting in the middle part of the innings, putting on 122 in just under 24 overs.
Jayawardene fell to an injudicious stroke against Hafeez, who followed with the scalps of Seekkuge Prasanna and Ashan Priyanjan, but Mathews continued to impress.
Mathews had reached 93 without giving a chance when he sprayed Wahab straight to Hafeez at midwicket, kicking the turf after taking his ODI tally to 22 fifties but no centuries.
Perera continued the fight, finishing with four sixes and five fours before a last-over run out.
Sharjeel Khan made nine at the head of the tourists' reply before being ousted by Lasith Malinga, only for Ahmed Shehzad and Hafeez to embark on a thrilling attack, sharing a stand of 96 at better than six-and-a-half runs per over.
Prasanna got the much-needed breakthrough, Hafeez playing down the wrong line to go lbw having made 62 in just 49 deliveries.
Umar Akmal lasted just three balls before nicking Dilshan behind and when Prasanna returned to dismiss Shehzad for 56 the momentum was all Sri Lanka's.
From 147-4, Pakistan lost their next six wickets for 86 runs.
Perera's impressive all-round display saw him pick up Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi and Riaz, with two wickets for Rangana Herath and a second from Malinga to wrap it up.
