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Sri Lanka win by 142 runs against UAE

Ajantha Mendis shined for Sri Lanka taking career-best figures of 5 for 22 as his team cruised to a big 142-run win over United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup cricket tournament at the Gaddafi stadium on Thursday.

Mendis spun out UAE for 148 in 36.3 overs with the minnows losing their last six wickets for only 15 runs.

Sri Lanka had set a target of 291 for the UAE team after electing to bat first with Mahela Jayawardene (61) and opener Mahela Udawatte (67) sharing a second-wicket stand of 114 runs after opener Kumar Sangakkara fell for a first over duck to Zahid Shah.

Shah finished with 3 for 49 while Mohammad Tauqir and Fahad Alhashmi, both UAE locals, took two wickets each.

UAE made a good start through wicketkeeper opener, Amjad Ali who hails from Lahore.

Ali smashed 77 from 79 balls with 12 fours to give UAE a solid start of 95 for one. He eventually fell to part-time offie Tillakratne Dilshan, which triggered a batting collapse.

Mendis sent down only 6.3 overs to take his flattering figures that exposed the inexperience of the UAE team at the top level.

The Sri Lanka total underwent several hiccups after the first over dismissal of Kumar Sangakkara for a duck before Udawatte and Jayawardene made fifties in a second wicket stand of 114 from 82 balls.

But from the strong position of 114 for one they lost wickets regularly to slip to 180 for 5 and eventually 209 for 7 before some fine rearguard action by Kaushal Weeraratne (40) and Nuwan Kulasekera (37) took them to a total that was beyond the inexperienced emirates side.

For the UAE outfit playing in their second Asia Cup, their local player, Fahad Alhashmi took two wickets while nother local Mohammad Tauqir in his fourth game also bowled well.