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Dubai: Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi capped an excellent return to international cricket with three wickets as Pakistan thumped Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first One-day on Friday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Afridi took 3-27 in his first match since returning from a six-month exile, helping Pakistan dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 131 in 40.3 overs before Younis Khan and Imran Farhat hit fifties to anchor the chase at Dubai stadium.
Pakistan lost Mohammad Hafeez (five) in the second over of their innings but Farhat added 103 for the second wicket stand with Younis Khan (56 not out) to ensure a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Farhat hit leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna for his seventh boundary to reach his ninth one-day fifty but with only 17 needed he was trapped leg-before wicket by paceman Suranga Lakmal for 50.
Younis, whose fifty was his 45th in one-dayers, took the team past the target in just 21.5 overs. He hit seven boundaries during his 57-ball knock.
Earlier, Returning all-rounder Shahid Afridi took three wickets to help Pakistan restrict Sri Lanka to 131.
Afridi, who finished with 3-27, led the Pakistan spin attack which shared seven wickets between them as they never allowed batsmen to flourish on a slow paced wicket after Tillakaratne Dilshan won the toss and decided to bat.
Dinesh Chandimal top-scored with 28 while opener Tharanga Paranavitna (25) and Mahela Jayawardene (24) were other notable scorers as Afridi, along with off-spinners Saeed Ajmal (2-21) and Mohammad Hafeez (2-24) bowled Sri Lanka out in 40.3 overs.
Sri Lanka didn't get their innings off the start they wanted when Dilshan was dismissed in the second over of the match, bowled by paceman Aizaz Cheema for four.
With their captain back in the pavilion, Sri Lanka did not recover as wickets continued to fall, in-form Kumar Sangakkara falling for five after struggling through 24 deliveries.
Chandimal and Paranavitana added 30 for the third wicket before Pakistan's spinners ran riot, grabbing the last seven wickets for a mere 54 runs.
Afridi, who retired from international cricket in protest over being sacked as one-day captain and only took back his decision last month, struck in his first over of the match.
Chandimal hit him for a six off his fourth ball, but the leg-spinner had him leg-before the very next ball. Chandimal hit two sixes and a four off 31 balls.
The 31-year-old Afridi then dismissed Seekkuge Prasanna (five) and Lasith Malinga (11) during his incisive 9.3 overs spell.
Brief scores
Sri Lanka 131 (Afridi 3-27, Ajmal 2-21)
Pakistan 132 for 2 (Younis 56*, Farhat 50)
Result Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets
MOM Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
