Sri Lanka lost a succession of key top-order wickets as they reached 108 for five after 25 overs in their ICC KnockOut quarter-final against Pakistan at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club on Sunday.

Even though the match was only a quarter-way through, it was already evident that Sri Lanka faced an uphill struggle as last year's World Cup finalists made quick inroads to take an early grip on the contest.

At the halfway stage of the Sri Lankan innings Russell Arnold was not out on 16 with Romesh Kaluwitharana on 2. Between the 20th and 25th overs, Sri Lanka had added a mere nine runs to their total.

The Sri Lankans were uncharacteristically cautious during the first few overs of the innings, an approach that quickly reduced them to 8 for two. Aviska Gunawardena, scorer of the tournament's only century so far, made 5 before he played inside the line against Wasim Akram to a ball which clipped the top of his off stump.

Marvan Attapattu was then dismissed for a third-ball duck to a brute of a delivery from Azhar Mahmood, which moved and lifted to take an edge that was comfortably held by Moin Khan.

Sanath Jayasuriya clearly decided that a change of method was required and he slashed the first ball of Wasim's third over miles over third man for six. The fourth ball was driven through the covers for four and the last delivery flicked off his legs for another boundary.

In the ninth over, Jayasuriya reprised his slash off Wasim for another six and tickled the next ball fine for four. There was an air of desperation about Jayasuriya, though, and in the former Pakistan captain's sixth over he got his man as Jayasuriya got a top edge cutting and was snapped up by Moin.

Jayasuriya's 39 had taken 41 balls and included three sixes and four fours.

From 63 for three, Sri Lanka were 71 for four in the 14th over when Mahela Jayawardena was run out for 11 by Abdur Razzaq's direct hit from backward point and by the end of the first 15 overs the batting side had reached 81 for four.

Kumar Sangakkara and Russell Arnold brought up the Sri Lankan 100 in the 21st over, but without addition to the score Sangakkara chased a wide one from Razzaq and succeeded only in chopping it onto his stumps for 19.

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