Pakistan Boosted By Warm-Up Win Over Sri Lanka

Pakistan 306-8 (Kamran Akmal 82, Misbah-ul-Haq 72) beat
Sri Lanka 198 (Kapugedera 59, Naved-ul-Hasan 5-41) by 108 runs
ICC Champions Trophy warm-up, Benoni

Pakistan gave themselves an enormous boost ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy with a convincing 108-run warm-up win over Sri Lanka, a team who arrived in South Africa high on form following decent home series against their opponents today and New Zealand.

Pakistan posted an imposing 306 for eight and Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 198, never recovering from losing five wickets before 100 runs were on the board.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan picked up five wickets, following up the efforts of Kamran and Umar Akmal as well as Misbah-ul-Haq, who all struck half-centuries in Pakistan's innings.

Kamran's 82 was a vital innings, as he lost three partners early on as Imran Nazir (12), Younus Khan (9) and Mohammad Yousuf (0) came and went, and he faced just 78 balls in all.

He formed a handy 71-run stand for the fourth wicket with Misbah, who made 72 and when Kamran was passed, the baton was passed from one brother to another and Umar was in scintillating form, blasting 67 from just 51 balls to put Pakistan on course for what turned out to be a winning score.

Shahid Afridi did his bit as only he can, weighing in with an unbeaten 36 in 24 balls to get his side past 300 although Nuwan Kulasekara returned three wickets and Muttiah Muralitharan marked his return from injury with a couple of scalps to give Sri Lanka hope.

The hope was misplaced - Mohammad Aamer struck with the third ball of the reply to have Tillakaratne Dilshan caught by Mohammad Yousuf and by the 23rd over, Sri Lanka were five down with 83 runs on the board.

Unlike against New Zealand earlier in the month, there was to be no way back - the total they were up against was too large which meant that although Chamara Kapugedera showed resolve and skill aplenty in scoring 59 and Angelo Mathews impressed with 49, Pakistan were always on top.

Naved finished things off, returning five for 41 when he had Dammika Prasad caught behind and he then ended the game by running out Thilan Thushara.