Dilshan Special on Cards – Sri Lanka –Pakistan 2nd ODI

Cricket will move on to Pallekele at the Hill Capital for the second ODI tomorrow, which will be ‘home coming’ for veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder, Thilakaratne Dilshan, as he has mysterious magic with him whenever he plays there.
Dilshan and Pallekele always has something special, as he had even asked from the selectors as well as his skipper, to organize more matches there following another magical performance last year.
His ODI figures are just miraculous as he averages 87.10, compared to his career average which is 39.65 at Pallekele. Out of Dilshan’s 16 ODI centuries, 5 have come in Pallekele where he had scored 871 runs in 13 ODI innings including two half centuries.
Batting isn’t the only magic Dilshan has in Pallekele, as it seems everything he touches turns to gold there at the Hill Capital. His best figures in bowling comes from Pallekele where he claimed 4 for 4 runs in a 2011 World Cup match against Zimbabwe, and he has claimed 12 wickets so far at that venue.
His only T20 century (104 n.o) came in Pallekele against Australia, where he had scored another two half centuries in 8 T20s played at that venue with an average of 54.80.
Dilshan and the Pallekele affection started with the match against Zimbabwe in the 2011 World Cup, which was the second match at the venue, where he made 133 while adding 282 for the 1st wicket with Upul Tharanga before claiming 4 wickets in bowling, including almost a hat-trick.
Nevertheless, last time Pakistan played at this venue was back in 2012 where they faced a heavy 76 runs defeat thanks to an unbeaten 119 from Thilakaratne Dilshan and Thisara Perera’s career best bowling figures of 6 for 44.
Sri Lanka has played 14 ODIs at the venue so far and won 7 of those, while one match was abandoned.