Pakistan gave themselves an excellent chance of reaching the ICCC KnockOut semi-finals by restricting Sri Lanka to a moderate total of 194 in their quarter-final clash at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club on Sunday.

So confident and assured against the West Indians last Wednesday, the Sri Lankans played nervous, jittery cricket after winning the toss and deciding to bat. Sanath Jayasuriya's 39 was the only contribution of substance from the top order - indeed, it was the highest score of the innings - and at the halfway stage the Sri Lankans had been reduced to 108 for five.

The Pakistan attack seldom loosened the shackles. Russell Arnold and Romesh Kaluwitharana took few chances in adding 56 for the sixth wicket before Azhar Mahmood accounted for both batsmen with successive deliveries. Kaluwitharana was the first to go, off the last ball of Mahmood's ninth over when he was adjudged leg before by umpire Dave Orchard.

Kaluwitharana, who had made 27 off 48 balls, was trapped on his crease, but the ball might have been sliding across him and could have missed leg stump. Whatever the case, Sri Lanka were 156 for six and they were 159 for seven when Arnold pushed tentatively at the first ball of Mahmood's 10th over and was caught at the wicket off a faint outside edge.

Arnold made 38 off 68 deliveries, and there was now some question as to whether Sri Lanka might reach 200. Upul Chandana avoided the hat-trick and Mahmood completed his 10 overs with three for 52.

Twenty more were added for the eighth wicket before Chaminda Vaas chopped Saqlain Mushtaq, now sporting a Yul Brynner hairstyle, into the hands of backward point for 11.

Nuwan Zoysa scratched 10 off seven balls before being bowled of an inside edge by Saqlain at 191 for nine and Muttiah Muralitharan was yorked by Wasim Akram for a first-ball duck to see the innings close after 45.4 overs.

Wasim finished with three for 40 with Saqlain taking two for 30.

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