Sri Lanka 'A' survived a scare against lowly United Arab Emirates to manage a narrow two wicket victory with just one ball to spare in the EurAsia Cup cricket tournament in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Chasing a target of 259 runs, Lankan skipper Avishka Gunawardene scored a valuable 94 at the top of the order and his team were cruising to victory before a middle order collapse saw them lose six wickets in the space of 30 runs.
Sri Lanka were comfortably placed at 228 for 2 in the 43rd over but the middle order inexplicably caved in after the fall of Jayan Kaushal Silva, who contributed 79 runs.
Medium pacer Arshad Ali (3 for 35 in 8 overs) and left-arm spinner Khurram Khan (2-42) turned the game on its head as the hosts bounced back from nowhere at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Ali broke the 116-run partnership between Silva and Gunawardene, whose 105-ball knock included 13 boundaries, and when Mohammed Taqir got rid of Jayan Silva and Malinda Warnapura, there was a procession of wickets.
But with just 28 runs required from 43 balls at one stage, the tailenders did not need to take any risks and somehow managed to get over the line.
Earlier, Khurram Khan's unbeaten century helped UAE overcome a top order collapse.
The left-handed Khan made an unbeaten 108 as he guided UAE from a precarious 78 for four to a competitive score.
He added 117 for the fifth wicket with Fahad Usman who contributed a vital 51 from 78 balls.
United Arab Emirates
Amjad Javed c L Silva b Wijekoon 23
Arshad Ali b Wijekoon 8
Abdul Rehman c J Silva b Dilhara 23
Saqib Ali c Gunawardene b Dilhara 2
Khurram Khan not out 107
Fahad Usman b Warnapura 51
Shoaib Sarwar run out 8
Mohammad Tauqir c Dilhara b Warnapura 0
Sameer Zia c Dilhara b Chandana 1
Zahid Shah b Chandana 4
Ali Asad not out 8
Extras (lb-8, w-10, nb-5) 23
Total (for 9 wickets in 50 overs) 258
Fall of Wickets: 1-35, 2-38, 3-45, 4-78, 5-195, 6-215, 7-237, 8-240, 9-248,
Bowling: Wijekoon 9-1-48-2, Dilhara 8-1-23-2, Prasad 3-0-34-0, Weerakoon 9-0-40-0, Warnapura 10-1-50-2, Chandana 8-0-43-2, Daniel 3-0-12-0.
Sri Lanka 'A'
D Gunawardene lbw b Arshad Ali 94
G Daniel c Abdul Rehman b Ali Asad 6
J Silva c Khurram Khan b Mohammad Tauqir 79
B Warnapura c Arshad Ali b Mohammad Tauqir 31
L Silva lbw b Arshad Ali 7
G Wijekoon lbw b Arshad Ali 7
L Dilhara st Abdul Rehman b Khurram Khan 4
H Kulatunga not out 2
U Chandana b Khurram Khan 0
S Weerakoon not out 0
Extras (b-1, lb-11, w-13, nb-4) 29
Total (for 8 wickets in 49.5 overs) 259
Fall of Wickets: 1-49, 2-165, 3-228, 4-231, 5-240, 6-252, 7-256, 8-258
Bowling: Ali Asad 7-1-32-1, Shoaib Sarwar, 2-0-22-0, Zahid Shah 3-0-40-0, Mohammad Tauqir 10-2-32-2, Khurram Khan 9.5-0-42-2, Sameer Zia 10-0-43-0, Arshad Ali 8-0-35-3.
