Salman Butt powers Pakistan to 8-wkt win in 1st ODI
Salman Butt smashed his eighth ODI ton to power Pakistan to a comfortable eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the first game of the three-match series.
Chasing 220, Pakistan cruised home with more than four overs to spare with Butt remaining unbeaten on 100. Skipper Shoaib Malik was unbeaten on 11. Butt bludgeoned 13 boundaries in his match winning knock that came came off 118 balls.
Earlier, Paceman Rao Iftikhar took a career-best 4-42 to help Pakistan restrict Sri Lanka to 219 in the first day-night international at the National Stadium here Tuesday.
The 28-year-old medium pacer removed top-scorer Kumar Sangakkara (49), skipper Mahela Jayawardene (one) and Thilan Thushara (nought) to derail the visitors who had a solid start of 71 after winning the toss and opting to bat.
Iftikhar came as first change in a four-pronged pace attack and build on to an aggressive first spell by pace partner Umar Gul, who removed openers Tillakaratne Dilshan (42) and Sanath Jayasuriya (38) to put brakes on the tourists’ march.
Dilshan, included in the team after his twin hundreds in a Test against Bangladesh earlier this month, was dropped at 17 off paceman Shoaib Akhtar who went wicketless in his seven overs.
Dilshan hit seven boundaries off 33 deliveries before Gul had him caught by Salman Butt off a miscued hook.
Gul then trapped Jayasuriya before Iftikhar dislodged an out-of-form Jayawardene.
Sangakkara held the innings through a 54-run fourth wicket stand with Chamara Kapugedera who made 27. Sangakkara hit four boundaries during his 70-ball knock.
Sangakkara missed his half-century by one run when he played a rising delivery from Iftikhar straight into the hands of Butt at gully. Iftikhar’s previous best was 4-59 against the West Indies at Abu Dhabi last year.
Nuwan Kulasekara chipped in with a useful 24 before Gul had him caught behind to finish with 3-30.
