Sri Lanka qualify for the grand final
ThePapareNews article
Sri Lanka today (27) booked their place alongside Pakistan in the final of the tri-nation One Day International series featuring Sri Lanka, England and hosts Pakistan.
They did so by beating Pakistan by 8 wickets.
Winning the toss in this match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the Sri Lankan skipper invited the opposition to bat first. Pakistan, batting first, were bowled out for just 110 runs.
That was the second-lowest total made by a Pakistan side at home, the lowest being the 75 all out against Sri Lanka at this very ground in 2009. The total was also the third-lowest Pakistan have been bowled out for in the ODI history between the two countries.
Sri Lanka chased down Pakistan's target with 191 balls to spare, losing only 2 wickets.
Sri Lanka fielded the same side that played their previous match, while Pakistan made two changes to the team that faced Sri Lanka earlier. Accordingly, Maaz Sadaqat and Shadab Khan came in for Saim Ayub and Faheem Ashraf in this match.
Sri Lanka team
Kusal Mendis (captain and wicketkeeper), Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Pawan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Janith Liyanage, Sahan Arachchige, Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka.
Pakistan team
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah
Babar Azam was the highest scorer of the Pakistan innings after they were put in to bat first. He faced 33 balls and made 29 runs with 5 fours.
In addition, Hasan Nawaz faced 31 balls and scored 17 runs with a six, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi faced 13 balls and made 15 runs with 2 sixes, and Arafat Minhas faced 18 balls and made 10 runs with a four.
Every other batter in the Pakistan innings was restricted to single figures. Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka recorded the best bowling figures of the innings, claiming 5 wickets for 34 runs. That is his best bowling performance in his 34 ODIs.
In addition, Sahan Arachchige took 2 wickets, while Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando took a wicket each.
Sri Lanka's reply was begun as usual by Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando, and the pair added a 50-run opening stand in 41 balls.
That partnership was broken by the dismissal of Avishka Fernando. He had made 16 runs off 17 balls with 2 fours when he fell. After his dismissal, with another 12 runs added to the Sri Lankan innings, captain Kusal Mendis also departed. He had faced 6 balls and made 8 runs with 2 fours.
At the close of the match Kamindu Mendis was unbeaten on 62 off 60 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes, while Pawan Rathnayake was unbeaten on 23 off 26 balls with 2 fours.
The pair added an unbroken 52-run stand for the 3rd wicket in 56 balls, and Kamindu Mendis's knock today was his 5th half-century in his 35 ODIs.
The two Sri Lankan wickets to fall were shared between Arafat Minhas and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Match scorecard in brief
- Pakistan – all out 110 (25.3) Babar Azam 29, Dilshan Madushanka 5/34, Sahan Arachchige 2/24
- Sri Lanka – 114 for 2 (18.1) Kamindu Mendis 62 not out, Pawan Rathnayake 23 not out
Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets.
Man of the match – Dilshan Madushanka (Sri Lanka)
The final of the series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is scheduled to be played as a day/night match at the same Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on the 31st of this month, and before that Sri Lanka are set to take on England again at the same ground on the 29th of this month.
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Based on ThePapare reporting