Pathan stars for India

Irfan Pathan produced an inpsired spell of bowling to lead India to a 26-run win over Sri Lanka in a warm-up clash for the World Twenty20 in Colombo.

Left-armer takes five wickets in T20 warm-up win

Irfan Pathan produced an inpsired spell of bowling to lead India to a 26-run win over Sri Lanka in a warm-up clash for the World Twenty20 in Colombo. Pathan finished with 5-25 to become the first India bowler to take five wickets in the shortest form of the game and help to ensure Sri Lanka's target of 147 for victory was out of reach. India managed 146-5 in their 20 overs, but that was only down to a superb fifth wicket partnership between captain MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. They came together with India struggling on 51-4, with Gautam Gambhir having retired hurt as well, but proceeded to add 78 with Dhoni unbeaten on 55 and Sharma contributing 37. Pathan ensured a slow start from Sri Lanka with wickets in his first two overs including the key dismissal of Tillekeratne Dilshan for only one. Kumar Sangakkara (32) led a middle-order rally but the hosts were always struggling to keep up with the run-rate and needed 32 runs going into the final two overs. Pathan made sure of victory with three more wickets in the 19th over and Lakshmipathy Balaji (3-28) took the last two in three balls at the start of the 20th to end the game. Sri Lanka's A team also went down to a heavy defeat as Afghanistan strolled to a 51-run victory at the Moors Sports Club in Colombo. Ashgar Stankizai and Mohammad Nabi hit half-centuries in their daunting 209-7 and Dawlat Zadran took 3-22 as their opponents were dismissed for 158 with 10 balls remaining.