Afridi stars as Pakistan level T20 series

Editors' Picks

  • TEAM NEWS: Bale partners Adebayor for Tottenham in must-win Sunderland clash

    TEAM NEWS: Bale partners Adebayor for Tottenham in must-win Sunderland clash

    TEAM NEWS: Bale partners Adebayor for Tottenham in must-win Sunderland clash

    Gareth Bale will partner Emmanuel Adebayor in attack for Tottenham as Spurs host Sunderland in a game they must win if they are to qualify for the Champions League.Andre Villas-Boas makes just one change to the side that came from behind to beat Stoke last weekend, with Benoit Assou-Ekotto replacing Steven Caulker and Jan Vertonghen returning to his regular spot in central defence.Bale is selected in the hole once again, playing just behind Adebayor who has scored in back-to-backs games against

  • TEAM NEWS: Rooney not in squad as Carrick captains Manchester United for Sir Alex's final game

    TEAM NEWS: Rooney not in squad as Carrick captains Manchester United for Sir Alex's final game

    TEAM NEWS: Rooney not in squad as Carrick captains Manchester United for Sir Alex's final game

    Wayne Rooney is missing from Manchester United's squad for the final match of Sir Alex Ferguson's career as he awaits the birth of his second child.Michael Carrick will captain the Red Devils against West Brom as Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs are restricted to places on the bench.Anders Lindegaard starts in goal and Antonio Valencia is likely to fill in at right-back, with Robin van Persie, Chicharito and Shinji Kagawa leading the line. ...

  • TEAM NEWS: Arteta starts for Arsenal in crucial top four decider

    TEAM NEWS: Arteta starts for Arsenal in crucial top four decider

    TEAM NEWS: Arteta starts for Arsenal in crucial top four decider

    Mikel Arteta starts as captain for Arsenal in their trip to Newcastle that will decide England's last Champions League place for next season.The Gunners' north London rivals Tottenham are battling for the last space in the top four of the Premier League and face Sunderland at White Hart Lane knowing that anything but a win will mean a fifth-place finish.Wojciech Szczesny retains his place in goal ahead of Lukasz Fabianski, while the defence consists of Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Laurent

  • Mourinho could leave Real 'this week'

    Mourinho could leave Real 'this week'

    Mourinho could leave Real 'this week'

    Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho could leave the club as early as this week according to reports in the Spanish press on Sunday.

  • Kenwright 'has people in mind' for Everton job

    Kenwright 'has people in mind' for Everton job

    Kenwright 'has people in mind' for Everton job

    The 67-year-old believes a hard-working manager will be the best option to take over the Goodison Park hotseat from David Moyes, who will join Manchester United in July

  • Man Utd's Ferguson set for final goodbye at West Brom

    Man Utd's Ferguson set for final goodbye at West Brom

    Man Utd's Ferguson set for final goodbye at West Brom

    English football will witness the end of an era on Sunday when Alex Ferguson takes charge of Manchester United for the 1,500th and final time in their last game of the season at West Bromwich Albion.

Shahid Afridi's superb all-round performance helped Pakistan post an easy 23-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second and final Twenty20 international and level the series 1-1.

Sri Lanka were shot out for 99 as they collapsed, their lowest T20 total against Pakistan, after restricting the tourists to 122-6 in Hambantota.

Man-of-the-match Afridi was the star in a low-scoring match, hammering a 33-ball 52 not out and then grabbing two wickets for 17 runs in his four disciplined overs.

Afridi, who becomes the first player to appear in 50 T20 internationals, hit one six and five fours in his fourth half-century.

"It was a great team effort and everybody played his role. The partnership between Shoaib Malik and Afridi was crucial for us," said Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez.

Pacemen Mohammad Sami and Yasir Arafat also impressed as they took three wickets apiece to keep pressure on Sri Lanka, who rested skipper Mahela Jayawardene and fast bowler Lasith Malinga.

Middle-order batsman Chamara Kapugedera top-scored with 19 in a dismal Sri Lankan batting display.

Sri Lanka, who won the opening match by 37 runs on Friday, were 76-4 at one stage before losing their last six wickets for 23 runs.

"We were brilliant in the field but then lost our way in the middle," said stand-in Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews.

Pakistan were earlier struggling at 41-4 before Afridi steadied the innings with a 68-run stand for the fifth wicket with Malik, who hit three successive fours off leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi in his 26-ball 27.

Lokuarachchi bagged two of the first four wickets as Pakistan struggled, removing Hafeez (24) and Umar Akmal (five) in his four-over spell.

Paceman Nuwan Kulasekera was the most impressive bowler, finishing with 2-13 off four tight overs.

Sri Lanka brought in Isuru Udana and Kapugedera in place of Jayawardene and Malinga. Pakistan made one change, replacing Umar Gul with Arafat.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan will now play a five-match one-day series, starting in Pallekele on Thursday.

Fantasy Football

Most Popular Stories