Salman Butt smashed his eighth ODI hundred to lead Pakistan to a comfortable eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the first game of the three-match series here on Tuesday.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.The victory was crafted by the Pakistan openers as Butt and Khurram Manzoor plundered 168 runs in 38 overs. Manzoor, after hitting nine boundaries in his 128-ball knock was snared by Muttiah Muralitharan but the breakthrough came a little too late in the day for the visitors.The only other wicket to fall in the Pakistan chase was that of Younis Khan who perished to Farveez Maharoof for 20.In the Sri Lankan innings, the Pakistan bowlers came back strongly to restrict Sri Lanka to 219 all out off 45.2 overs.After electing to bat first, the visitors messed up the fine 71-run start given by their openers Sanath Jayasuriya (38 off 35 balls)and Tillekaratne Dilshan (42 off 33 balls) after both the openers fell in quick succession to Umar Gul.Dilshan was caught by Butt for 42 while Jayasuriya was trapped leg before the wicket for 38.Captain Mahela Jayawardene fell cheaply to leave Sri Lanka at 91-3 at one stage. Jayawardene was caught behind for one off a Rao Iftikhar Anjum delivery.
Kumar Sangakkara fought a lone battle before his innings was ended by Pakistan's most successful bowler Rao Iftikhar (four for 42) one short of his half century.Though C K Kapugedera (27) and K Kulasekara (24) resisted for some time, the Lankans failed to bat out the full fifty overs.Gul gave admirable support to Rao by taking three for 30 but Shoaib Akhtar and Sohail Tanvir disappointed conceding 43 and 35 runs respectively without taking any wickets.
Kumar Sangakkara fought a lone battle before his innings was ended by Pakistan's most successful bowler Rao Iftikhar (four for 42) one short of his half century.Though C K Kapugedera (27) and K Kulasekara (24) resisted for some time, the Lankans failed to bat out the full fifty overs.Gul gave admirable support to Rao by taking three for 30 but Shoaib Akhtar and Sohail Tanvir disappointed conceding 43 and 35 runs respectively without taking any wickets.
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