After a thumping victory thanks to an all-round show from Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan will start as favourites in the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka at Pallekele. The visitors have the momentum after breezing to victory in the first of the five-match series. Azhar Ali's men have little to worry about in terms of team combinations but in stark contrast, hosts Sri Lanka will be pondering a number of issues as they look to draw level. There is some rain predicted on Wednesday and the weather could influence the decision of both teams while forming the final eleven as well as the strategies required to tackle the conditions. The seamers are bound to get assistance under the floodlights in the second-half of the game but the prevailing weather conditions mean that teams would prefer chasing keeping the Duckworth-Lewis system in mind.
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2nd ODI - Live Cricket Score, Commentary
Moments after the toss, it started to rain and the groundstaff were immediately out with the covers. The showers stopped after a while, the covers were being removed and news came in that the game will start at 15:00 local time.
The second ODI began at 15:00 local time and no overs were lost despite the 30-minute delay.
Angelo Mathews opened the attack and he started with a maiden over with Azhar Ali failing to get off the mark in the opening over. Nuwan Pradeep too bowled six dot balls to Ahmed Shehzad. After 16 dot balls, the first run came in the third over when Azhar took a single off Mathews to get off the mark. The Pakistan skipper also scored the first runs off Pradeep, punching one to mid-off for a couple in the fourth over. In the same over, Pradeep bowled a splendid delivery which narrowly missed the off stump and yielded four byes while a misfield by Malinga got Azhar three more runs. Shehzad scored his first run with a single to mid-off off Pradeep.
Siriwardana put on a steady partnership with Chandimal as the sixth-wicket pair led Sri Lanka's recovery. However, Hafeez struck in the 32nd over to send back the left-handed Siriwardana for 26. The batsman played across the line to a quicker delivery and was trapped plumb in front. Sri Lanka slipped to 196/6.
Chandimal tried to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt and he was assisted by Sachith Pathirana as they put on a steady partnership. The pair survived a couple of leg-before shouts, but that did not prevent Pathirana from playing his shots, as he scored some much-needed boundaries to keep Sri Lanka in the game. The hosts moved to 232/6 after 38 overs.
Sachith Pathirana added a solid fifty-run stand with Dinesh Chandimal before throwing his wicket away. Soon after getting a boundary, Pathirana charged Hazeef only to be stumped comfortably. The game has changed colour once again. Pakistan need just three wickets to win while Sri Lanka's hopes rest on Chandimal. This is heading for a tight finish.
Dinesh Chandimal has been quite impressive. It would have been easy to lose one's head while wickets fell at the other end. That Sri Lanka have only three wickets in hand would have been at the back of his mind but he's let none of that affect his batting. With a rather single-minded focus, Chandimal has batted sensibly and eased the tension.
Sri Lanka lost Thisara Perera with just three needed for victory. The pressure was back on Chandimal as Malinga walked in. Pakistan would have been hoping for something magical but Malinga thwarted their attempts even as Angelo Mathews remained edgy in the dressing room. Malinga survived four deliveries from Anwar Ali before Chandimal, fittingly, did the finishing act. Sri Lanka level the series 1-1.