Pakistan made to the sixth consecutive semifinal after the horrendous campaign of 07′ World Cup, it is in itself a huge achievement for a side that is deprived of all sorts of home advantages for the last three years. Pakistan came into the semi-final after a huge win over the Aussies. Against the Sri Lankans, every one knew, it will be a different ball game all together.

Mahela won the crucial toss; it gave Sri Lanka a huge advantage. The pitch was very dry and dusty, chasing the total was always going to be an uphill task on it. The ball was turning and bouncing all over the place from the word goes. Sri Lankan openness survived a splendid spell from Sohail Tanvir with the new ball and attacked the young Raza Hassan with the unorthodox stokes on both the sides of the wicket. Dilshan found the going difficult but Mahela, once more expressed his class. He was really the difference with his unsettling reverse sweeps and slog sweeps on a testing wicket. He went out in trying to play a cute dab to Afridi but not before providing his team a perfect platform to launch.

Sangakara came out smoking; he creamed two boundaries off Ajmal to get underway. Hafeez came on to bowl himself against him, which proved to be a great move because he was threatening to take the game away from Pakistan. After Sangakara’s exit, Jevan Mendis and struggling Dilshan lost the momentum. Gul was hard to get away and Ajmal returned to his usual best. Pakistan pulled the things back with very fine middle and last overs. At one stage, it was looking like Sri Lanka will cross 130 mark but a huge last over swollen the total to 139 runs. It was a good score, considering the pitch and the added pressure of the big semi-final made it look much more then actually it was.

Pakistan started the reply quite lively. Nazir settled down nicely after having a few brainless dances down the wicket. Hafeez found the going uneasy, clearly the pitch started to do some tricks. The strike was not rotating that seemed to be causing panic in the Pakistani ranks. Nazir played on to the stumps after stoking a lovely four off Mendis. Hafeez slowly settled down and started to change the strike more often. Jamsheed was the key to Pakistani cause because of his form. He got a real rough decision, which proved to be the turning point the game in the hindsight. Kamran came and went, he failed to pick the slow ball from Methews, who bowled a fine spell.

Pakistani batting was on the ropes once more and the threats of another batting collapse were looming but Hafeez held the innings together. He played some really nice stokes to keep Pakistan in the game. Malik got an absolute rip-snorter of a ball from Herath. Hafeez with a six and a four in an over eased the equation for Pakistan, somewhat. 49 was needed off last 6 overs, Hafeez came dancing down the wicket to Herath and missed the ball all together and comprehensively stumped.

It appeared quite needless from the man with very sound cricketing sense. From then onwards, it was always going to be an uphill battle for Pakistan. Out of the form Afridi got a golden duck, he had a horrible time with the bat in the whole tournament. From then onwards, only another miracle could have saved Pakistan but miracles do not happen daily, it proved once more. Umer Akmal again left stranded with the tail, Tanvir failed to rotate strikes that toughen up the equation. Malinga bowled a perfect penultimate over to evaporate the Pakistani hopes all together. So, the Pakistanis faced another semi-final exit, it is the forth on the trot.

On another day, Pakistan could have easily chased that total down but it was not Pakistan’s day today. The decisions did not go their way and the toss did not help either but honestly, Pakistan had too many inconsistent batsmen only Hafeez, Jamsheed and Umar Akmal were among the runs often. Sri Lanka has advanced through to the final. It appears highly unlikely that either of Australia or West India can be able to hold the candle to them in such adverse conditions.