ICC T20 World Cup semi-final: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan-As it happened...

Welcome to our live coverage of the ICC World T20 semi-final fixture between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

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SCORECARD» | HIGHLIGHTS» WT20 in PICS» Pakistan Innings ==================================================================================== Over: 20 Score 123/7 Last over, 23 from 6, Umar Akmal on strike, Kulasekara with the ball, first two balls, dot balls. Akmal got a single of the third. Fourth ball, Gul got a single. Akmal got a boundary off fifth. Sixth was a dot ball as 6 runs came off the over. SRI LANKA ENTERED THE FINAL OF 2012 ICC WORLD T20 DEFEATING PAKISTAN BY 16 RUNS ==================================================================================== Over: 19 Score 117/7 Akmal vs Malinga. First ball, Akmal hit it to point. Jayawardene with the field, threw the ball to Malinga, he fumbled, but hit the stumps and not out, benefit of doubt to the umpire. DOT BALL. Second ball, full and wide, Akmal plays it to point and a single. Full and wide the third ball, DOT again. Fourth ball, WIDE and a swing and a miss by Gul. Fifth ball, a single towards short mid-on. Sixth ball, Akmal hits hard, gets single towards deep point. What an over by Malinga. 4 runs off the over. 23 runs from 6 balls. ==================================================================================== Over: 18 Score 113/7 Mendis came on to bowl his final over as Akmal got a double in the first and second ball. A single off the third. Tanvir perished in the fourth as he came down the track, had no clue of the ball, Sanga with a simple stumping. Mendis finishes with figures of (4-0-27-2) 5 runs off the over. Pak need 27 runs off 12 balls. Tanvir st Sangakkara b Ajantha Mendis 8(13) [4s-1] ==================================================================================== Over: 17 Score 108/6 Malinga came back into the attack and Tanvir got boundary first ball with a length ball. Tanvir smoked it to over midwicket. Three full deliveries and three dots for Sri Lanka. Tanvir got a single in the fifth ball. In the sixth, Malinga bowled a WIDE and Akmal got a single and retained the strike. 7 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 16 Score 101/6 Umar Akmal beat the man at extra cover, only just to earn a boundary before Mathews gave away just three runs in the first three balls. two singles followed the boundary. Mathews finishes with impressive figures off (4-0-27-2) 9 runs off the over ==================================================================================== Over: 15 Score 92/6 Rangana Herath scalped the big wicket of Mohd Haffeez in the firat ball of the 16th over as the Pak captain danced down the track trying to heave the ball over the cow corner, but the ball spun away from him and Sangakkara did the rest. Second ball, Herath produced a beautiful arm ball to clean bowled Shahid Afridi. Afridi, rooted to his crease went for a big drive but the arm ball beat through his defences. Pak in trouble. Sohail Tanvir defended the third ball to avoid the hattrick. Single off the last ball 1 run off the over and 2 big wickets. Shahid Afridi b Herath 0(1) Hafeez st Sangakkara b Herath 42(40) [4s-4 6s-1] ==================================================================================== Over: 14 Score 91/4 Umar Akmal got a boundary off the second ball as he cut a short one square on the off-side. Two singles and a double followed. Mendis finished off with a dot ball. 8 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 13 Score 83/4 Hafeez with a bit of luck got a boundary off the first ball of Herath's third over. Hafeez went for reverse sweep, the ball flew up in the air high over the in-field for a boundary. In third ball, Hafeez hit a six to long-off. It was tossed up delivery from Herath, Hafeez skipped down the track and lofted it high over the boundary. Big over for Pak. 12 runs off it ==================================================================================== Over: 12 Score 71/4 Angelo Mathews created a chance with a slower delivery as Hafeez went for a maximum straight over long-on, he mistimed but Lasith Malinga dropped a dolly in the deep. Hafeez got a boundary off a short off length delivery towards mid-wicket region. 7 runs off the over ==================================================================================== Over: 11 Score 64/4 Rangana Herath bowled his second over as Hafeez and Malik got two singles and couple of double in the first five ball but Herath got the sixth ball to spin away Shoaib Malik was clean bowled for 6 runs. Shoaib Malik b Herath 6(7) ==================================================================================== Over: 10 Score 58/3 Angelo Mathews came back into the attack as he scalped Nasir Jamshed in the first ball LBW. It was a length ball, but a slower one, Jamshed failed to pick it up going for his shot way too early. Kamran Akmal walked out to the middle and was off the mark with a single. Hafeez took a single of the next. In the fourth, a slower ball was not picked by Akmal as he went for his shot early, the ball hit his bat high and scooped up in the air as Mahela Jayawardene took a simple catch at short mid. Shoaib Malik came into bat and was beaten outside off first ball. 3 runs off the over and two wickets. Kamran Akmal c Mahela Jayawardene b Mathews 1(2) Nasir Jamshed lbw b Mathews 4(8) ==================================================================================== Over: 9 Score 55/1 Rangana Herath was introduced into the attack and in the first ball Nasir Jamshed survived a close call for LBW. Jamshed got a single off the third delivery whipping the ball to short third. In the fourth, Hafeez played an efficient cut short. playing it late to pick up a double in front off point. A big slog sweep followed, Hafeez picked a double again. ==================================================================================== Over: 8 Score 48/1 Mendis started of with a dot then gave a single then a dot and a fumble from Malinga allowed Hafeez to take triple as Hafeez finished the over with an extravagant drive high over extra cover for a boundary. 9 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 7 Score 39/1 Thisara Perera came into the attack and 'Professor' Hafeez greeted him with a classic straight drive down the ground for four. Next ball, Hafeez tried hoisting the short of length ball straight over long-on but it fell short as Rangana Herath failed to held on to a tough catch. After two dot deliveries Hafeez went for a tight single. 8 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 6 Score 31/1 Ajantha Mendis came into bowl and Dilshan with another stellar effort at extra cover denying Hafeez a certain boundary. Nazir then employed a sweep and the ball went past Malinga for a boundary towards third man. Mendis then got the wicket of Imran Nazir as the ball rolled back to the stumps after the opener had played a forward defence. 5 runs off the over. Imran Nazir b Ajantha Mendis 20(21) [4s-3] ==================================================================================== Over: 5 Score 26/0 Malinga with his slower one had Hafeez in trouble. After a single in the first ball, three dots then a single off leg bye. 2 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 4 Score 24/0 Kulasekara bowled the 5th over of the Pak innings. After two dot, he bowled a short one, Nazir pulled one to deep square for a single. Hafeez not amused as wide is not given. 2 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 3 Score 22/0 Malinga came into the attack and wayward WIDE delivery earned Pak 5 runs but the 'slinga' came back well with slower ones deceiving Nazir. 7 runs off the over ==================================================================================== Over: 2 Score 15/0 Nuwan Kulasekara came into the attack as Imran Nazir shuffled up and down the pitch for first three balls after which Kulasekara bowled two consecutive WIDE deliveries down the legside. 4th ball, a gentle prod by Nazir opening the face off the bat earned him a boundary at third-man. Quick single off the last ball. 7 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 1 Score 8/0 Angelo Mathews started off the proceedings for Sri Lanka as Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir took guard for the Pakistanis. 140 is the target. Mathews started off giving away a single after which Imran Nazir slashed hard at a length ball, Dilshan flew and got fingertips to it stopping a certain boundary, double from it. Next ball, a well directed bouncer had Nazir surprised, appeal by the keeper but no harm done. Next ball, length ball, Nazir on the up hits the ball over the in-field for a boundary over extra cover. 8 runs off the over. Sri Lanka Innings ==================================================================================== Over: 20 Score 139/4 Gul with the final over of the Lankan innings and an edge earned the hosts a well needed boundary, their third in the final 5 overs. Third ball, Gul missed his perfect length bowling a half volley as Perera stuck a powerful drive off the backfoot straight over the bowler's head for a boundary. Perera got another boundary in the 4th ball, pitched up and outside off, Perera took it over the mid-off's head. Perera then got a full toss managing a single. Angelo Mathews got a double in the last ball of the over as Sri Lanka finished with 139/4. 16 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 19 Score 123/4 Jeevan Mendis departed off a wide ball as he came down the track moving away only to see Ajmal dragging the ball away from him. Akmal whipped the bails easily as Umpire gave a wide signal. Ajmal bowled wide deliveries with the Lankans chasing it for 5 singles as Shoaib Malik display some terrific fielding in the deep, attacking the ball and releasing it very quickly not allowing the batsman to run a second. 6 runs off the over. Jeevan Mendis st Kamran Akmal b Ajmal 15(18) [4s-1] ==================================================================================== Over: 18 Score 117/3 Swing and a miss by Dilshan in the first ball as Gul bowled a good block hole delivery in the second to give a single. He followed it with another good yorker which just missing the off-stump. In the fourth ball, Gul trapped a shuffling Mendis Leg Before Wicket... but replays showed Gul had over stepped, no-ball, Mendis was safe and a FREE HIT followed. Single came off the free-hit. Gul again bowled the fifth ball full and straight anf this time Dilshan was LBW, Dilshan's 43-ball 35 runs ordeal in the middle came to an end. Thisara Perera walked out to the middle and was greeted by another terrific yorker by Gul which missed the stumps only just. 3 runs off the over. Dilshan lbw b Umar Gul 35(43) [4s-3] ==================================================================================== Over: 17 Score 114/2 Ajmal's third over yielded runs. After 2 singles in first 2 balls, Dilshan put away a short ball past short third man for a boundary. Ajmal came back well conceding a single off the last three balls. 7 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 16 Score 107/2 Umar Gul came on to bowl his first over in the 16th over of the Lankan innings. After two dot balls, Mendis whipped a leg-side delivery behind square for a double. After another dot Mendis pulled a short off length ball over short mid wicket for a double. A bouncer by Gul was adjudged wide by the Umpire. Last ball also yielded a double. 7 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 15 Score 100/2 Jeevan Mendis reverse swept Saeed Ajmal for a boundary over 'extra cover'. Three singles also came in the over. 100 up for the Lankans. 7 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 14 Score 93/2 Afridi came on to bowl his final over as Dilshan dispatched a full toss for four over midwicket. Double came of the last ball of the over. Afridi ended his spell with figures of 4-0-28-1. 8 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 13 Score 85/2 ' Professor' Mohammad Hafeez came on to bowl and immediately in the second ball had Sangakkara in trouble with a bit of spin. A stumping chance which was referred to the TV Umpire though no harm was done. Sanga then came dancing down the track trying to create some room but failed to get the meat of the bat to the ball. He was holed out in the deep at long-on by Shoaib Malik. 5 runs off the over. Sangakkara c Shoaib Malik b Hafeez 18(11) [4s-3] ==================================================================================== Over: 12 Score 80/1 Kumar Sangakkara showed his class as he cut a marginally wide delivery from Saeed Ajmal behind point for a boundary. Then he hit another boundary, a bit uppishly over extra cover, but this time he was nearly done in by Ajmal's flight. 12 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 11 Score 68/1 Shahid Afridi got the big wicket of Mahela Jayawardene as the Sri Lankan captain was caught at short fine by Raza Hasan trying a cheeky scoop. Kumar Sangakkara walked in next and hit the first ball for a boundary towards mid-wicket region blasting the flighted delivery wide of long-on. 6 runs off the over. Mahela Jayawardene c Raza Hasan b Shahid Afridi 42(36) [4s-7] ==================================================================================== Over: 10 Score 62/0 Raza Hasan (4-0-26-0) completed his quota of overs giving away 9 runs in his final over. Jayawardene got a boundary in the last over as he smacked a length delivery coming down the track towards long-off boundary. ==================================================================================== Over: 9 Score 53/0 Jayawardene smashed a full and wide delivery from Afridi extra cover for a boundary as the opening duo got 3 singles and double as well. 9 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 8 Score 44/0 Raza Hasan's third over yielded just 4 runs. ==================================================================================== Over: 7 Score 40/0 After three dot balls from Shahid Afridi, Jayawardene reverse pulled a short off length delivery past point and backward point for a boundary. 6 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 6 Score 34/0 Final over of the powerplay was bowled by Saeed Ajmal and Jayawardene and Dilshan took out the reverse sweeps. Jayawardene helped Ajmal's first ball, a long hop towards fine leg boundary. Dilshan missed his reverse but got a double of byes. Jayawardene then connected his reverse sweep in the the last ball getting a boundary 'behind point'. 10 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 5 Score 24/0 Sohail Tanvir's third over yielded just 4 runs as the left-armer beat the bat of Dilshan on couple of occasions. He bowled a wide in the over. Tanvir found the outside of Dilshan's bat in the final ball but a diving Kamran Akmal failed to reach the ball. 4 runs off the over.. ==================================================================================== Over: 4 Score 20/0 Mahela Jayawardene swept a tossed up delivery from Raza Hasan for a boundary. 2 singles also came from the over. 6 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 3: Score 14/0 Sohail Tanvir bowls a very good over. All back off length deliveries.Just 1 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 2: Score 12/0 Left-arm orthodox Raza Hasan came into bowl and Jayawardene creased his first ball, a wide delivery, towards extra cover region for three runs. Dilshan then got into the act cutting a marginally short delivery behind point for a boundary. 7 runs off the over. ==================================================================================== Over: 1: Score 5/0 Sohail Tanvir started off the proceedings for Pakistan with Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan in the middle for Sri Lanka. Mahela Jayawardene hit the second ball for a boundary towards third man region despite a diving effort from Umar Gul as Tanvir drifted down the leg. A single came in the 4th ball. 5 runs off the over. Sri Lanka won the TOSS and elected to bat first. CHANGES: Rangana Herath in for Akila Dananjaya Perera. Sohail Tanvir in for Abdul Razzaq. Teams: Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Hafeez(c), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal(w), Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Sohail Tanvir Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Mahela Jayawardene(c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga The match will begin at 7: 00 pm (IST) Colombo: Their confidence on a high after the big win over Australia, a supremely talented Pakistan will come out all guns blazing against hosts Sri Lanka in the first semi-final of the ICC World Twenty20 on Thursday. It will be a battle of attrition between the two sides who had met in the final of the 2009 edition of the tournament in England where Pakistan emerged victorious. The scene is entirely different this time around as Mohammed Hafeez and his boys will be facing a formidable Sri Lankan outfit in their own backyard. What will be the most interesting thing to see is battle between the top quality spin departments of both sides. The most intriguing of the battles will be between two mystery spinners -- Ajantha Mendis and Saeed Ajmal. While Mendis has roared back to form during this edition of World T20 having taken nine wickets in five games which also include an astonishing six for eight against Zimbabwe, Ajmal has been a consistent performer for Pakistan in the past few years. However, Pakistan, which has the likes of Hafeez, Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed and the Akmal brothers, are better players of spin bowling. And it will be interesting to watch as to what tricks can Mendis pull out of his bag on a slow R Premadasa track that has been assisting spinners. Pakistan, on the otherhand, will be expecting the trio of Ajmal, Hafeez and young left-arm spinner Raza Hassan to ask difficult questions to Sri Lankan top order that has three world class batsmen in Tillekaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Dishan, Jayawardene and Sangakkara all have been among runs and know the Premadasa track like the back of their hand. Umpires: Simon Taufel(Aus), Rod Tucker(Aus) Third Umpire: Ian Gould(Eng) Match Referee: Jeff Crowe(NZ)