Mathews hammered an unbeaten 80

Angelo Mathews kept a cool head to guide Sri Lanka to a nerve-jangling two-wicket win over Pakistan in the fifth and final one-day international on Monday.

Chasing 248 for victory, Sri Lanka reached their target with two balls to spare to take the five-match series 3-1. One game was ruined by bad weather.

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Mathews, who arrived at the crease with the total 97 for four in the 25th over, hammered an unbeaten 80 off 76 balls with two sixes and four fours and claimed the man of the match award.

Nuwan Kulasekara offered good support, making 10 not out in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 36 in 20 deliveries.

Sri Lanka began the final over needing 15 runs for victory and paceman Mohammad Sami started it with a wide.

Mathews scored 10 off the next three balls and punched the fourth over point for four to settle the issue.

Sami, back after missing the previous two games due to a sore thumb, was the most expensive bowler as he conceded 75 runs in 9.4 overs without taking a wicket.

Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi seemed to put Pakistan in charge when he removed Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene off successive balls in the 25th over.

Sangakkara was stumped by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for 40 and Jayawardene fell first ball when he offered a tame return catch.

Earlier, Pakistan opening batsman Imran Farhat marked his first match of the series by hitting 56 before Azhar Ali (30), Asad Shafiq (38) and Misbah-ul-Haq (32) kept the momentum going.

They all batted around Umar Akmal who top-scored with an unbeaten 55 off 61 balls containing two sixes and five fours.

The two teams next play a series of three tests beginning on Friday in Galle.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

Lasith Malinga working on a new delivery

Lasith Malinga is an example of how looks can be deceptive. With a curly, golden mop of hair and tattoos adorning his arms, the Sri Lankan comes across as one of those fast bowlers who love life in the fast lane. But, get to the know the man, and he's the opposite. There's no fascination for fast cars or those racing bikes. The only speed that thrills him is hurling those toe-crushers with his dreaded slinging action.

The Mumbai Indians' bowler, who again is on the top of the bowling charts, spoke to HT on a wide range of issues, including the burning country versus IPL debate and his recent back injury, which forced him to miss a few games.

He countered the talk of his selectors not being happy for rushing back into IPL, by saying that it was his call to be a freelance player.

Excerpts:

Even after five years in the IPL you have been on top and been tough to decipher. How have you maintained the consistency?

I don't think I'm the best bowler, but the main thing is I like to play under pressure. I bowl at the end of the powerplay, then come to bowl in the death overs. There's no secret, just that I want to be there when the pressure is on. I understand pressure better now. That's it. The batsman may know I am going to bowl a yorker or a slow ball now but he still has to hit it. Anytime the captain asks me, I have to be ready. My role is to bowl.

Bowlers keep looking to improve. Anything new in your arsenal?

I am developing a new ball but haven't used it yet. I am waiting for the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. I want to use it then.

Can you explain it? Is it something you picked up after seeing someone bowl?

It's a slower ball. I can bowl but I can't explain it. You have to see it on TV, how I am doing it. It's something I tried on my own. I have tried in my training sessions but not in the nets. I want to go back to Sri Lanka and gain more confidence as here I don't do much bowling in the nets. I haven't bowled in the nets so I don't know how the batsmen will cope with it.

You had an injury break in the IPL. Can you clear the air about it?

I had back pain and missed three games. I went to Sri Lanka and got treated. Now it's 100 percent fine.

Are your selectors okay that you are playing the IPL instead of resting?

I don't have a contract with the Board. I am a freelance player. I just want to play cricket, doesn't matter whether I am playing in Sri Lanka, IPL, club or county cricket. I have three-four years maximum left. After 10-15 years, nobody will know how I used to bowl.

How tough is it to not be paid regularly by your board?

I don't mind. I don't bother about the money; I want to play, whether it's for the national team or the IPL.

Some of your former players like Arjuna Ranatunga say Sri Lankan players prefer IPL over country?

Only one guy is saying that. I don't mind.

There is a strong opinion that youngsters shouldn't be playing T20 cricket as their development as Test cricketers is affected.

I don't think that (I preferred T20 to Test cricket). I also played Tests but then I got injured and my body couldn't take it. Twenty20, 50 overs and Test cricket are different types of games. If we need to learn, we have to play Test cricket, like how to bowl reverse swing, how to bowl in different situations. In Tests, we have a lot of time to think and strategise. T20 is just one-and-half hours, it is important to think quickly and do it right. T20 is a mind game, Test is a mind and physical game and you need to have a good level of fitness.

How has been the experience of playing at the Wankhede, for Sri Lanka and Mumbai Indians?

I played the IPL before the World Cup and the crowd supported me. The Indian fans backed me in the final and I was very happy. I don't feel much difference whether I play for Sri Lanka or MI.

HT Media Limited

Sri Lanka Vs India highlights in ODI tri-series

Sri Lanka have accomplished the feat of recording two centuries in an ODI eleven times - two times each against Bangladesh, England and India and once each against Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and Netherlands. 

# Against India, two centuries have been recorded twice by Sri Lanka in an ODI - the first occasion being Marvan Atapattu (102 not out) and Mahela Jayawardene (128) at Sharjah on October 27, 2000. 

# Tendulkar and Sehwag put on 54 - India's highest stand for the first wicket in Australia in 2011-12 in eighteen international innings - their second fifty-plus first wicket partnership. 

# Gautam Gambhir (63 off 64 balls) has posted his 31st fifty in ODIs - his fourth against Australia. 

# Gambhir's ODI record in the Australian tri-series is superb, aggregating- 748 runs at an average of 49.86, including two hundreds and four fifties. 

# Gambhir is the first Indian player to amass 300 runs in the CB Series 2011-12, aggregating 308 at an average of 44.00 in seven matches, including three half-centuries. 

# Three centuries have been recorded in an ODI on twenty occasions, including four in an ODI once - two each by Pakistan and Australia at Lahore on November 10, 1998. 

# Virender Sehwag (30) has registered his highest innings in the present competition. 

# Virat Kohli has posted a career-best (133 not out), eclipsing the 118 against Australia at Visakhapatnam on October 20, 2010. 

# Kohli, with just one superb knock, has become the leading run-getter in the Commonwealth Bank Series 2011-12 - 373 (ave. 53.28), including a hundred and two fifties, in eight matches. 

# Kohli has posted his first century in Australia. His ninth hundred in ODIs is his second against Sri Lanka. 

# India have won eight games when Kohli has posted a hundred. His record in Indian triumphs is quite impressive, aggregating 2252 runs in 48 matches at an average of 60.86, including eight hundreds and twelve fifties. 

# Kohli's beautiful innings is the third highest by an Indian batsman in ODIs in Australia.Sourav Ganguly had made 141 against Pakistan at Adelaide on January 25, 2000 and Yuvraj Singh 139 against Australia at SCG on January 22, 2004. 

# Kohli has been adjudged the Man of the Match for the eight time in ODIs - his first against Sri Lanka. 

# Kohli's 76-ball hundred is his quickest in ODIs - the third highest for India against Sri Lanka, next only to two outstanding knocks by Virender Sehwag - 66 balls at Rajkot on December 15, 2009 and 75 balls at Colombo, RPS on February 3, 2009. 

# The unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 120 between Raina and Kohli is India's highest in Australia during the 2011-12 season. 

# For the first time in the current tour, India have recorded two stands of 100-plus in the same ODI innings. 

# Lasith Malinga has conceded 96 runs in only 7.4 overs, his economy rate being 12.52 - the worst recorded by a bowler in an ODI while conceding 70 runs or more. 

# The Hobart ODI has produced 641 runs - the second highest in an India-Sri Lanka encounter - the highest is 825 for 15 wickets at Rajkot on December 15, 2009. 

# The aforesaid match-aggregate is the highest in an ODI in Australia, not featuring Australia. Australia and New Zealand produced 678 at Perth on January 28, 2007 while Australia and England produced 667 at Sydney on February 2, 2011. 

# Kumar Sangakkara (105 off 87 balls) has recorded his fourth hundred against India - his 13th in ODIs. 

# Sangakkara has posted eleven centuries as wicketkeeper in ODIs - the second best tally as wicketkeeper, behind Adam Gilchrist's tally of 16. 

# India's superb seven-wicket victory is their 70th against Sri Lanka in 133 ODIs - success % 57.78 (Lost 51, Tied 1 & NR 11). 

# India (321/3) have posted their highest successful chase in Australia - their first total of 300-plus, 

# India's above total is their highest in Australia, surpassing the 303 for four against Australia at Gabba on January 18, 2004. The said total is their highest successful chase against Sri Lanka, bettering the 317 for three at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on December 24, 2009. 

# India's magnificent successful chase is their joint third best, behind the 326 for eight against England at Lord's on July 13, 2002 and 325 for five against the West Indies at Ahmedabad on November 15, 2002. Against New Zealand, India had successfully chased 321 for five at Bangalore on December 7, 2010. 

# India overall have chased 300 or more successfully twelve times in ODIs. 

# Sri Lanka (320/4) have recorded their highest total against India in Australia, surpassing the 289 for six at Brisbane on February 21, 2012. The said score is their second highest in Australia, behind the 343 for five against Australia at Sydney on January 9, 2003. 

# India (321 for three) have posted the second highest at Bellerive Oval, behind Australia's 344 for seven against Zimbabwe on January 16, 2004. 

# India have accomplished the target of 300-plus in less than 40 overs (36.4 overs), becoming the second team to do so successfully. Sri Lanka (324/2 off 37.3 overs) had achieved the feat against England (321/7 at Leeds on July 1, 2006). 

# Tillakaratne Dilshan (160 not out off 165 balls) has recorded his 11th century in ODIs - his fourth against India. 

# Dilshan has emulated his highest innings in ODIs. He had registered 160 off 124 balls in the Rajkot ODI against India on December 15, 2009. He is the only batsman to post two innings of 150 or more in a losing cause. 

# Dilshan's above knock is his first century in Australian Tri Series - the said innings is the highest by a Sri Lankan player in Australia. 

# The 200-run stand between Dilshan and Sangakkara for the second wicket is the best ever partnership for any wicket at Bellerive Oval. 

# Sri Lanka's above partnership is their highest for the second wicket in ODIs. 

# Sri Lanka have registered a partnership of 200 or more for the second time in the Australian tri-series - their best is 237 for the opening wicket between Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya against Australia at SCG on January 9, 2003. 

# Five partnerships of 200 or more for the second wicket have been registered by a pair against India - two by Pakistan and one each by Sri Lanka, West Indies and Australia. 

# Zaheer Khan has become the leading wicket-taker for India against Sri Lanka in ODIs, claiming 62 wickets at 30.56 runs apiece in 43 matches, surpassing the 61 (ave.26.95) in 47 matches by Harbhajan Singh. 

# The invaluable 115-run stand between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli is an Indian record against Sri Lanka for the third wicket in Australia. 

# Raina and Kohli were involved in a partnership of 120 (unbroken) for the fourth wicket - India's highest against Sri Lanka in Australia. Their run-rate of 13.09 is India's highest in a century stand and the highest by any pair against a major side. 

# Kohli-Gambhir pair is averaging 75.33 in 20 innings while chasing - 1356 runs in 20 innings, including five century stands and three fifty-plus. The pair is the only one to average 75.00 while chasing. (Minimum 1000 runs) 

# India have posted 33 fours in their record total in Australia, emulating most fours in an innings in an ODI in Australia.