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Karachi: Sri Lankan batsmen Kumar Sangakkara hit a century to help his side set Pakistan a total of 302.
Despite career best figures of 5-48 from Pakistan's left arm pacer Sohail Tanvir, the side were unable to halt the Sri Lankan batsmen in the Asia Cup super league at the national stadium on Sunday.
Sangakkara made 112 from 110 balls and anchored the innings after Sri Lanka were put into bat.
The stylish left hander shared two productive stands with Chamara Kapugedera (43) and Chamara Silva (46).
Sri Lanka reached their strong total thanks to a third wicket partnership of 88, which was followed by 93 runs from 83 balls for the fourth wicket.
This was Sangakkara's second hundred of the Asia Cup following his 101 against United Arab Emirates.
Batting steadily rather than explosively, he reached his ninth career hundred from 96 balls with nine fours and one six.
Partnership
Tanvir, 23, was the stand out performer for Pakistan.
He finally took Sangakkara's wicket when he bowled him in the 47th over.
With the wicket of Thilan Mirando for 28 in his final spell, he surpassed his previous best of 4-34 against Zimbabwe earlier this year.
Tanvir took the first two wickets of the innings, dismissing Sanath Jayasuriya (8) and captain Mahela Jayawardene (29), before the two major partnerships helped Sri Lanka recover.
He trapped Jayasuriya leg before and had Jayawardene caught at wide slip by Misbah-ul-Haq.
Sangakkara and Kapugedera then put together their third wicket stand with the latter hitting two fours and two sixes off Rao Iftikhar and Shoaib Malek.
Sri Lanka reached 100 in 20 overs and 159 in 30 overs before launching a late charge that saw them score 143 in the final 20 overs of their innings.
Kapugedera fell in the 29th over after scoring 43 when he pulled Mansoor Amjad straight to Younis Khan at deep midwicket.
Silva forced the pace in Sri Lanka's fourth wicket stand with Sangakkara, who was content to milk the runs. Silva finally went when he was caught behind off Tanvir after hitting five fours in his 48-ball knock.
Pakistan went into the game without their top pacer, Umar Gul who is out of the competition with a rib cartilage injury, and awarded a cap to leg spinner Mansoor Amjad.
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