Two careers which started in the last century came to an end after the 2015 ODI World Cup heartbreak. Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for scoring the most runs against a bowler in ODI cricket. He struck 327 runs against Shahid Afridi.
Overall, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have met each other on 155 occasions in one day cricket out of which Pakistan have won 92 and Sri Lanka have won 58. 4 of these have ended without a result.
When the matches were played in Pakistan, the home side won 18 while Sri Lanka won 12. In Sri Lanka, Pakistan have won 18 while Sri Lanka have won 20. The two teams have faced each other on 84 occasions in neutral venues where Pakistan have won 56 matches and Sri Lanka have won 26.
In a majority of these 155 ODIs, Mahela Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi came face to face against each other.
Afridi made his ODI debut against Kenya at Nairobi in 1996. Jayawardene stepped out in the international scene 2 years later in 1998 when he played his first match against Zimbabwe at Colombo. Both went on to have fulfilling careers.
Jayawardene scored more than 12000 runs in ODI cricket from 448 matches at an average of 33.37 and a strike rate of 78.96. He hit 19 centuries including the one in the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup against India and 77 half centuries, with the best of 144. He even picked up 8 wickets with the best of 2/56.
Shahid Afridi made over 1000 runs from 398 ODI matches at an average of 23.5 and a strike rate of 117. He smashed 6 centuries and 39 half centuries with the best of 124.
Boom Boom was famous for his six hitting and clubbed 351 sixes in his ODI career. He also took 395 wickets at an average of 34.51 with the best of 7/12.
Mahela Jayawardene played most spinners very well and Afridi was no exception. He made brilliant use of the crease and tackled the spin bowling all-rounder Afridi mostly off the back foot.
The careers of both Afridi and Jayawardene came to a close after the 2015 world cup when Pakistan lost to Australia by six wickets in the third quarter final and Sri Lanka were eliminated after losing to South Africa in the first quarter final by 9 wickets.
