Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya, with his trademark big-hitting, and newboy Ajantha Mendis, delving into his bag of bewildering spin tricks, led Sri Lanka to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Canada Twenty20 final here on Monday. Chasing 133 to win, Sri Lanka registered its first win over Pakistan in the new-style, wham-bang format with six balls to spare. He may be pushing 40 years old but Jayasuriya (40 runs) showed little sign of ageing as he and fellow opener Mahela Udawatte (25) put on 66 in 6.6 overs. They took advantage of a wayward Pakistan attack with Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul being hit to all parts of the ground in front of 9,000 fans at King City. Jayasuriya was particularly harsh on Akhtar, flicking the recalled quick for four in his first over and then pulling him for consecutive sixes over midwicket. Desperate Pakistan, who had won the group match between the two sides by three wickets on Saturday, turned to spin and Shahid Afridi dismissed Udawatte while Shoaib Malik accounted for Jayasuriya. But despite losing skipper Mahela Jayawardene for just five, Kaushalya Weeraratne (12) and Chamara Kapugedera (17 not out) saw Sri Lanka home. Earlier Mendis, 16 years Jayasuriya's junior, took 3-23 for a tournament total of 11 wickets as he put the brakes on the Pakistan middle order. Opener Salman Butt top scored with 44 before he fell to Mendis who also accounted for Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal. Brief scores: Pakistan 132-7 in 20 overs (S. Butt 44; Mendis 3-23); Sri Lanka 133-5 in 19 overs (S. Jayasuriya 40; Shoaib Malik 2-17). Zimbabwe trounced Canada by 109 runs to claim third place. Zimbabwe had needed a bowl-out to beat the hosts in the group stage on Saturday but there was no repeat of that drama this time as the African side piled up 184-5, the highest score of the tournament. Opener Hamilton Masakadza smashed 79 with useful contributions coming from Chamu Chibhabha (40), Elton Chigumbura (25) and Keith Dabengwa (16 not out). Masakadza had made a brave 53 in his side's seven-wicket loss to Pakistan on Saturday and he was in brutal form again on Monday smashing two giant sixes off Abdool Samad. Canada were immediately in trouble slipping to 10-3 by the sixth over as captain Ashif Mulla (2), Rizwan Cheema (2) and Sandeep Jyoti (0) all failed. Canada just managed to avoid the lowest Twenty20 score of all time - Kenya's 67 against Ireland in August - as they were skittled out for 75 with Zimbabwe's 23-year-old captain Prosper Utseya taking 3 for 26 with his off-breaks. Cricketers safe in Pakistan, says Imran International cricketers are safe from terror attacks in troubled Pakistan because the game is so well loved in the country, player-turned-politician Imran Khan told Australian media. Australia has not toured Pakistan for a decade and abandoned a visit earlier this year because of security concerns in the wake of the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. In August, Australia also pulled out of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan which has now been postponed. Speaking to Australian television, Imran said that while he understood the Australians' decision, those who wanted to destabilisze Pakistan would not risk alienating their support base by attacking cricketers. “I also know that cricketers would never be under any threat from terrorists,” he said in an interview to be screened late Monday by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “Terrorists rely on support from the masses because that's where they get their recruits, and cricket is a game which is so loved and there's such passion in Pakistan, that the terrorists know that if a cricket match is bombed, they've had it. The public will just turn against them.” Mohsin wants Lawson out Former Test opener Mohsin Khan thinks Geoff Lawson lacks the credentials to move Pakistan cricket forward and wants him replaced by a homegrown coach before next year's all-important home series against India. “Lawson has no caliber to coach at top level,” Khan said Monday. “He was a second string bowler in his playing days (for Australia) when fiery pacemen Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson ruled the world. “Even Terry Alderman was ahead of him.” The previous Pakistan Cricket Board hierarchy - headed by Nasim Ashraf - employed Lawson as national coach last year on a three-year term. “I won't blame Lawson because he applied for the post and got the job,” Khan said. “I would blame those who hired him without realizing that Lawson has no experience of coaching international teams.” Ashraf resigned as PCB chairman in August and the country's president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the PCB patron, has appointed former Test cricketer Ijaz Butt to head a new-look cricket board. “The new PCB chief is also a very good administrator and knows better when Lawson should go,” Khan said. Accent on batting Both Bangladesh and New Zealand are emphasizing batting will be most pivotal element in deciding the three-match limited-over series. Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful expects his batsman to fare better Tuesday on a good wicket at Chittagong's Birshresta Ruhul Amin Stadium. Bangladesh won the first one-dayer by seven wickets after restricting New Zealand to just 201 for nine last week in Dhaka. But the hosts lost the second match Saturday by 75 runs - mostly due to a slow run rate chasing New Zealand's 212-9. New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum said his side also expected to get more runs.
