Sri Lanka complete opening win

Left-hander Jayasuriya is in fine form

Sharjah Cup: Match One: Sri Lanka 242-9 (50 overs) beat Pakistan 201 all out (45.5/49 overs)

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Sri Lanka made tough work of what at one stage looked set to be the simplest of wins in the tournament opener in the Emirates.

Old hands Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan were the stars for the winning team, but a lone hand from Abdur Razzaq almost spoilt the party.

Razzaq, who was previously hit for 22 by Jayasuriya in a single over - though he recovered to take 2-49 in nine overs - hit 56 with two sixes and a pair of fours.

He came to the crease with his team 65-4 in the 19th over and apparently in dire straits.

The problems increased when Inzamam-ul-Haq fell for 37 seven overs later.

Miles away

At 94 for five, and with less than 25 overs to go, the target of 243 looked miles away.

But Razzaq buckled down to his task, putting on 72 with his skipper Rashid Latif, and Pakistan still had a chance.

However, when Murali dismissed Latif for 41 off 44 balls, Sri Lanka could breathe again.

Murali, who had started by having Inzamam-ul-Haq stumped, then followed up by removing Wasim Akram cheaply to finish with excellent figures of 3-27 off his full 10 overs.

Russel Arnold's 58 was an important contribution

With 39 wanted off the last 24 balls and only Saqlain Mushtaq to come, Razzaq finally holed out off Jayasuriya.

And the Sri Lankan captain completed his fine day by grabbing the final Pakistan wicket in the same over.

When Sri Lanka had batted, Shoaib Akhtar took 3-31 in his 10-over spell, the most successful and the most economical Pakistani bowler.

But Jayasuriya's runs came off just 78 balls and when he was fourth man out in the 21st over he had scored the vast majority of his side's 128 runs.

None of Jayasuriya's partners had been able to give him much support.

But Russel Arnold was at least able to pick up his skipper's mantle, hitting 58 off 86 balls before he was caught by Waqar Younis off Saqlain.

He had put on 52 for the sixth wicket with Upul Chandana, who hit a useful run-a-ball 30.

The Sri Lankan tail was unable to get the score beyond 250, but in the end it mattered not.

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Pakistan: Waqar Younis (capt), Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul Haq, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq. 12th man: Mohammad Sami.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Russel Arnold, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Charitha Buddika, Nuwan Zoysa, Upul Chandana. 12th man: Kumar Dharmasena.

Umpires: David Shepherd (Eng), Russel Tiffin (Zim)

Third umpire: Srinivas Venkataraghavan (Ind)

Match referee: Gundappa Vishwanath (Ind)