24 January,2009 04:18 PM IST | | AFP
Makeshift opener Tillakaratne Dilshan struck a career-best hundred to power Sri Lanka to an imposing 309-5 in the final day-night international against Pakistan here today.
The 32-year-old right-hander scored an unbeaten 137 for his second one-day hundred and was involved in three important partnerships after the tourists won the toss and opted to bat on a docile Gaddafi Stadium pitch.
The three-match series is tied 1-1. Pakistan won the first match by eight wickets, while Sri Lanka clinched the second by 129 runs -- both played in Karachi.
Dilshan, included in the one-day squad after his twin hundreds in a Test against Bangladesh earlier this month, hit 10 boundaries during his 139-ball knock and set the tempo with a 76-run first-wicket stand with Sanath Jayasuriya (45).
Both Dilshan and Jayasuriya were dropped inside the first 10 overs, during which Umar Gul and Sohail Khan bowled to tight line and length.
Jayasuriya was finally caught off a miscued pull off Gul, who finished with 3 wickets for 45 runs.
Dilshan consolidated the innings in a second-wicket stand of 104 with Kumar Sangakkara (50) and put on 57 for the third wicket with Thilina Kandamby (32) as Pakistan toiled for wickets.
Dilshan reached his hundred with a single off spinner Saeed Ajmal, off 119-balls with four boundaries.
His previous best of 117 not out came against The Netherlands in 2006. He cut loose after his hundred as Sri Lanka added 83 runs in the final ten overs.
Pakistan left out new-ball pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Sohail Tanvir and brought in Sohail and off-spinner Ajmal.
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