Sangakkara elated with performance by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

---

Player:	KC Sangakkara, Mohammad Aamer, M Muralitharan, Umar Gul
Event:	Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2009

---

DateLine: 31st July 2009

 

Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara hailed his team's effort after his side edged ahead with a 36-run victory in Dambulla.

 

The visitors started well and at one stage reduced Sri Lanka to 173 for seven, but Angelo Mathews (43) alongside Nuwan Kulasekara (16) and Muttiah Muralitharan (32) made sure Lanka finish on a respectable 232 for nine.

 

Pakistan's chase was then undermined by yet another batting collapse engineered by Sri Lanka's fast bowlers Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara.

 

From 29 for one, Pakistan slipped to 95 for six and were effectively out of the game until Umar Gul (33) provided a late flourish.

 

Alongside Mohammad Aamer (23), Gul put on 62 runs for the ninth wicket, the duo hitting 55 runs off the five batting powerplay overs.

 

This late onslaught left the visitors needing only 38 off the last six overs, but former skipper Mahela Jayawardene broke the stand by running out Aamer.

 

"We probably let it get away from us a bit at the end," Sangakkara said.

 

"Maybe we just got a bit complacent and relaxed our grip a bit.

 

"Overall, the guys did a great job, especially chipping in with the bat.

 

"Everyone played their part, but especially Murali who came in with that whirlwind knock and Mathews who played with a lot of maturity.

 

"The bowlers were in top form, bowling in the right areas and getting the wickets that we needed.

 

"This is one game that you can look back on and say this was a proper team effort."

 

Sangakkara said he is confident of his batsmen and they will improve as the series progresses.

 

"We have a great batting line-up, but we have got to trust ourselves and play to our strengths.

 

"We shouldn't be worried about wickets and what the bowlers are doing as long as we play to our strengths and to our gameplan.

 

"Sometimes when you come in to bat on this track you think it's a test, but our guys are more than capable of doing the job we need.

 

"I'm very proud to have such depth of talent and ability in the dressing room."