Afridi stars as Pakistan clinch series

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SHARJAH, Nov 21 (AFP): Allrounder Shahid Afridi scored a half-century before taking five wickets to steer Pakistan to a hard fought 26-run win in the fourth day-night match over Sri Lanka at Sharjah stadium on Sunday. Afridi helped Pakistan recover from a struggling 120-7 to 200 all out with a 65-ball 75 before he derailed Sri Lanka by taking 5-35 to dismiss them for 174 in 45.2 overs, giving his team an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. The victory leaves the fifth and final game at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday as inconsequential. The sides will also play a Twenty20 international at Abu Dhabi Friday. Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had set Sri Lanka on course for a comfortable win with a 102-run fourth wicket stand after Sri Lanka were struggling at 53-3 with Upul Tharanga (16) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (11) gone by the eighth over. With 46 needed for victory Sangakkara, who hit six boundaries during his 103-ball knock, was bowled by Afridi for 58 and Saeed Ajmal accounted for Angelo Mathews (nought) in the next over. That triggered a collpase in which Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 19 runs. It included all of Afridi's wickets in a sensational display of leg-spin bowling. The 31-year-old thus became the only man in one-day cricket to hit a half century and take five wickets in the same match on two occasions. Pakistan: Total: 200 Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga c Younis b Cheema 16 T. Dilshan c Ahmed b Cheema 11 K. Sangakkara b Afridi 58 D. Chandimal b Hafeez 11 M. Jayawardene c Hafeez b Afridi 55 A. Mathews c Ahmed b Ajmal 0 J. Mendis lbw b Afridi 2 T. Perera c Akmal b Afridi 7 S. Prasanna c and b Afridi 0 L. Malinga lbw b Ajmal 4 D. Fernando not out 0 Extras: (lb3, nb1, w6) 10 Total: 174 Overs: 45.2 Result: Pakistan won by 26 runs