Canada v Pakistan, Group A, World Cup 2011, Colombo

Impressive Canada restrict Pakistan to 184

Umar Akmal best scorer 48

Umar Akmal

Canada followed in the spirit set by Ireland's frenzied triumph over England to hustle Pakistan out for 184 and set up a tantalising prospect of another World Cup upset in Colombo. Making the most of the heavy atmosphere and sluggish track, they bowled with accuracy and fielded with fire to dismiss an off-colour Pakistan side with seven overs to spare.

After their easy victory over Kenya and impressive 11-run triumph over a strong Sri Lanka side, Pakistan felt sufficiently confident to rest Shoaib Akhtar from this game. That confidence seemed to have spilled over into a lethargic overconfidence as all the batsmen lacked the intensity to buckle down and keep the scoreboard moving in the face of an energetic Canada display.

It was only a stodgy 73-run stand between Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal that carried the side to relative safety. Before they came together Pakistan were rocking at 67 for 4 and lost 5 wickets for 44 after their stand was broken.

Though all the bowlers were impressive it was the contrasting aggression of seamer Harvir Baidwan and rotund legspinner Balaji Rao who starred, constantly prodding and probing the Pakistan batsmen who were unable to raise their games.

Mohammad Hafeez did as he forever does, striking a couple of flowing boundaries before departing and he was followed by Ahmed Shehzad, smartly caught by Tyson Gordon diving forward to give Baidwan his first scalp. The hearts really began to pound when Younis Khan, the rock in the middle order, also fell to Baidwan. Again it was the touch of movement that had lurked in the air all afternoon that did for him, as Baidwan slid one back onto the pad and in front the stumps. Younis called for a very optimistic review, which only confirmed the worst. It was a poor choice from such an experienced player which came back to haunt the side when Misbah was given out dubiously caught down the leg side.

It was all the more impressive for Canada given they had lost their premier bowler Khurram Chohan in the seventh over to a hamstring injury. Baidwan took up the baton and bounded in with aggression, swinging the ball both ways at a decent pace and even slipping in the odd bouncer.

It was left, as ever, to Misbah to provide the calming influence and, together with Umar Akmal, their stand was pragmatic, organised and thoroughly un-Pakistani. They were troubled by the tossed-up legspin and googlies of Rao who followed each ripping legspinner with a volley of verbals almost as expressive as his deliveries. He was rewarded when Umar, who was looking to up the pace, inexplicably played back to a ball he should have been forward to and his dismissal sparked the collapse.

Misbah had taken 60 deliveries to find his first boundary and was beginning to locate his more fluent form with a series of reverse sweeps before he flicked lazily down the leg side, getting a fine edge which Ashish Bagai did well to hold on to standing up to the stumps. Shahid Afridi started with familiar boom, swatting a pull shot for four, and ended with that more wearily familiar bust, limply toe-ending a wide ball to point.

With the captain out the rest slid away soon and there was more cheer for Rao when he held a sharp slip chance between he knees, tumbling over with the ball safely nestled to cue humorous celebrations. Baidwan finished it off with his third wicket when he burst through Saeed Ajmal's defences.

With Pakistan's bowling attack and favourable conditions Canada are hardly favourites in the chase, but, then neither were Ireland last evening.

Sahil Dutta is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo