Pakistan's Asia Cup glory

Wasim Akram was on target for Pakistan in Dhaka

Pakistan beat defending champions Sri Lanka by 39 runs to win the Asia Cup trophy at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing a huge Pakistani target of 277 for four from 50 overs, Sri Lanka were all out for 238 with 4.4 overs to spare.

This was Pakistan's first victory in the biennial competition, which was introduced in 1986.

A fine century by Marvan Atapattu off 124 balls saved Sri Lanka from a more convincing defeat against a spirited Pakistani bowling attack led by Wasim Akram, Arshad Khan and Mohammad Akram, each of whom claimed two wickets.

Pakistani batman Yousuf Youhanna was named Man of the Series, despite his relative failure in the final.

Atapattu: Fighting century

Youhanna scored only 25 in Wednesday's final, after an unbeaten 100 against India and 90 against Sri Lanka in the previous two matches.

A confident Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. After losing the early wicket of opener Imran Nazir for 12, Saeed Anwar broke the Sri Lankan attack by scoring 82 runs off 115 balls before being caught by Murlitharan off Jayasuriya in the 40th over.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and captain Moin Khan led the final Pakistani assault, hitting fours and sixes in the last over to stretch the score to a formidable 277 runs.

In response, Sri Lanka suffered an early setback when their wicketkeeper Kaluwitharana, who came on as an opening batsman with skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, was run out for a duck.

Matters were to get worse for the defending champions when Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas were dismissed cheaply, leaving Atapattu and Russel Arnold to put up a brave fight against Pakistan's bowling attack.

Their batting and quick runs steered Sri Lanka to 190 for four raising Sri Lankan hopes the game was not over.

But a lower order batting collapse - five wickets for just 50 runs in five overs - put Pakistan back in control.