Date-stamped : 12 Apr95 - 10:40 ASIA CUP 95: Pakistan v Sri Lanka Sharjah, 11 April 1995 ====> End of Pak innings Sri Lanka stop Pakistan at 178 for nine Sri Lanka, making a last-ditch effort to qualify for the Asia Cup final, restricted Pakistan to 178 for nine in the last league match here Tuesday. The Sri Lankans, who need a big win to force a three-way tie in the round-robin league, put in a splendid display in the field after sending Pakistan to bat on a slow wicket. But their batsmen must achieve the victory target in 33 overs to edge out Pakistan on a superior run-rate and qualify for Friday's final against In- dia. At present, India lead the run-rate at 4.8, followed by Pakistan on 4.5 and Sri Lanka on 4.3. Pakistan, for whom a win would en- sure a passage into the final, suffered quick reverses at the start to be reduced to a shaky 38 for five in the 19th over. Sri Lankan seamers Champaka Ramanayake and Chaminda Vaas sliced through the Pakistani top-half in brilliant opening spells in which Vaas gave away just seven runs in six overs and Ramanayake 14 in seven. When newcomer Mehmood Hamid was run out for one and allrounder Wasim Akram stumped off Sanath Jayasuriya for six, Pakistan were in danger of folding up for less than 100 on the board. But the in-form Inzamamul Haq held the innings together with a responsible 73 which contained two boundaries and three sixes. Inzamam, who came in at number four, batted till Pakistan had reached 158 before he became wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharna's fifth victim in the innings - a brilliant one-handed diving catch. Pakistan's last-wicket pair of Amir Nazir and Arshad Khan added a valuable 20 runs before the overs ran out. Opener Saeed Anwar is leading Pakistan in the absence of Moin Khan, who is ill with chicken pox. The team includes two debutants in wicket-keeper Javed Qadeer and batsman Mehmood Hamid. ====> End of the match Sri Lanka stun Pakistan to reach final Sri Lanka scored a sensational victory over Pakistan here Tues- day to knock the World Cup champions out of the Asia Cup and set up a title clash with India. Needing 179 off 33 overs to qualify on run-rate, the Sri Lankans got home with two overs and five wickets to spare. Roshan Maha- nama held one end up to make 48, while at the other left-hander Sanath Jayasuriya slammed 30 off 15 balls -- including four boun- daries and a six -- before falling at deep square leg. Aravinda De Silva and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga made 23 each before Hashan Tillakaratne sealed the win by swinging off-spinner Arshad Khan over long-on for six. Earlier Pakistan had made 178 for nine off 50 overs after Sri Lankan seamers Champaka Ramanayake and Chaminda Vaas had them tottering on 38 for five in the 19th over. Left-armer Vaas gave away just seven runs in six overs after removing the dangerous Aamer Sohail with the third delivery of the innings and the ex- perienced Ramanayake sent back skipper Saeed Anwar and Asif Muj- taba in his first seven overs in which he conceded 14 runs. In- zamamul Haq saved the innings with a careful 73 before being caught behind to give diving wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharna his fifth victim of the innings. Pakistan finished the round-robin league level with India and Sri Lanka with two wins each. Defending champions India topped the four-nation league also involving Bangladesh with a run-rate of 4.8. Sri Lanka were second at 4.6 and Pakistan had 4.5. The fi- nal on Friday will be the third successive Asia Cup final between India and Sri Lanka. The Indians won both the two previous edi- tions in Dhaka in 1988 and Calcutta in 1990. ====> more PAKISTAN SQUEEZED OUT OF FINAL Sri Lanka will play India in Friday's Asia Cup final after a pul- ling off a commanding five-wicket win over Pakistan in Sharjah today. Sri Lanka restricted Pakistan to 178 for nine in 50 overs but needed to score the same number of runs in 33 overs to achieve a better run rate than their opponents and, therefore, qualify for the final. They reached the target in style -- in just 30.5 overs. Openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama made a blazing start, scoring 34 in just 3.5 overs before Jayasuriya, the most aggressive of the two, lost his wicket trying to go for a big hit. He made 30 off 15 balls with four fours and a six. Mahanama made 48. Although Asanka Gurusinghe fell cheaply, Aravinda de Silva pro- duced some attractive hitting. When he left after scoring 23 off 27 balls, Sri Lanka were 118 for three and well in sight of vic- tory. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga kept the scoreboard moving by picking gaps in the field and frustrated the tense Pakistan bowlers. Sri Lanka were particularly severe on Aamir Nazir, who conceded 47 in just five overs. Inzamam ul-Haq made Pakistan's top score of 73. Source :: Reuter Contributed by vicky (vigneswa@sisko.ecs.umass.edu)