JAIPUR, India, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Skipper Younis Khan hailed Pakistan's team spirit after they overcame a pre-match crisis to clinch a thrilling Champions Trophy victory over Sri Lanka, on Tuesday.

"We were under pressure," he said. "But we are still strong and hopefully we will remain strong."

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq snared four wickets for 50 and then lashed 38 not out off 24 balls to power his team to the victory target of 254 with 11 balls to spare in the Group B clash.

The victory came a day after Pakistan strike bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were sent home after testing positive for nandrolone.

"We believe in God," a delighted Younis told reporters. "We missed Inzamam-ul Haq as captain and batsman, we had another shock a day before, and then Sri Lanka were playing very well.

"Shoaib and Asif were our leading bowlers and they were in form," he said. "We could have lost, but we wanted to keep our pride intact."

Pakistan had been embroiled in a series of controversies in the build-up to the tournament.

Inzamam was banned for four one-dayers to be ruled out of the tournament after he was charged by International Cricket Council (ICC) with bringing the game into disrepute over his team forfeiting the final Oval test in August while protesting a penalty for alleged ball-tampering.

Younis, appointed to lead the team, quit in a huff before being reinstated hours before the team landed in India.

He praised Indian fans for cheering Pakistan as they raced to victory and said a final between the two teams would be perfect.

Younis was all praise for Razzaq, the man-of-the-match.

"I knew seniors in the side like me, Mohammad Yousuf and Razzaq, who know the conditions here, needed to take charge and we did that in the end."

"Razzaq is very good with the old ball and he showed that again today," he added.

Razzaq said he felt no extra pressure, saying he was used to batting in the final overs when he had to go after the bowling.

Rival skipper Mahela Jayawardene completed 6,000 one-day runs but saw his team's run of 10 consecutive wins halted by Pakistan, the last team to beat them in Sri Lanka in April.

"It was the boundaries which won the game," he said, referring to 102 runs coming in that fashion. "Unfortunately Razzaq batted really well in a crunch situation," he said.

Jayawardene remained hopeful of progressing in the tournament despite his team dropping two catches and not cashing in on a superb start provided by Sanath Jayasuriya's 35-ball 48.

"It is a tough group, but we still have a chance."

Sri Lanka next play New Zealand in Mumbai on Friday while Pakistan await the Kiwis in Mohali on Oct. 25.

Scoreboard

U. Tharanga c Akmal b Razzaq 38

S. Jayasuriya b Iftikhar 48

M. Jayawardene c Farhat b Malik 31

K. Sangakkara c Iftikhar b Malik 39

M. Atapattu run out 36

T. Dilshan b Afridi 3

F. Maharoof b Razzaq 22

C. Vaas b Razzaq 15

M. Muralitharan lbw b Hafeez 0

L. Malinga b Razzaq 0

D. Fernando not out 4

Extras: (2lb, 7w, 8nb) 17

Overs: 49.2. Batting time: 207 minutes.

Fall of wickets: 1-63, 2-108, 3-141, 4-181, 5-186, 6-225, 7-236, 8-239, 9-240, 10-253.

Bowling: Naved 4-0-33-0 (2nb), Iftikhar 7-0-40-1 (1nb), Gul 6-0-23-0, Razzaq 7.2-0-50-4 (5nb, 1w), Malik 8-0-34-2, Afridi 10-0-47-1 (5w), Hafeez 7-0-24-1 (1w).

M Hafeez c Sangakkara b Vaas 22

Imran Farhat c Fernando b Muralitharan 53

Younis Khan c Sangakkara b Maharoof 7

Mohammad Yousuf run out 49

Shahid Afridi c Tharanga b Jayasuriya 1

Shoaib Malik not out 46

Kamran Akmal c Maharoof b Vaas 20

Abdul Razzaq not out 38

Extras: (6lb, 11w, 2nb) 19

Overs: 48.1. Batting time: 208 minutes.

Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-71, 3-104, 4-114, 5-161, 6-201.

Did not bat: Rana Naved, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar.

Chaminda Vaas 10-0-61-2 (1w), Lasith Malinga 7-1-49-0 (7w), Dilhara Fernando 6.1-0-32-0 (1nb, 1w), Farveez Maharoof 3-0-24-1, Muttiah Muralitharan 10-0-37-1 (1nb, 2w), Sanath Jayasuriya 10-0-33-1, Tillakaratne Dilshan 2-0-13-0