Maqsood: The best innings of my career

sohaibmaqsood

Chasing 276 for victory from 45 overs, the tourists looked in trouble at 106-5 halfway through their reply in a match shortened by rain.

But Maqsood paired up with Fawad Alam to add 147 for the sixth wicket, before Shahid Afridi sealed a stunning comeback victory by hitting the penultimate ball from Nuwan Kulasekara to the boundary as Pakistan won by four wickets.

Maqsood, whose previous best was 73 against the same opponents in December 2013, was delighted with his own efforts.

"I would take it as the best innings of my career," he said.

"[It was a] special knock, batting after a few months and getting off with a good innings is always good. [I was] batting number three and four in the previous series, but this is a new series and whichever is good for the country, I will do it.

"Planning was simple, he [Alam] was a rotator and I was aggressive. The plan was not to lose wickets and we have to target the bowlers, even [Lasith] Malinga's overs."

Angelo Mathews was the star with the bat for Sri Lanka, his 89 marking his highest ODI knock, but the captain was left to rue a missed stumping chance when Maqsood was on 32.

"The wicket played pretty well and more often than not when we scored 250 plus the bowlers do the job but here the brilliance of Maqsood did it," he said.

"We didn't really do too many mistakes, but there was the stumping that we missed. I'm happy with my form, hopefully it can continue."

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