Sri Lanka end the series with a consoling win
ThePapareNews article
The hosts managed to win the three-match Twenty20 International series between the touring Sri Lanka cricket team and the host Pakistan cricket team by a margin of 2-1.
After two successive defeats, Sri Lanka claimed an 8-wicket victory in the 3rd and final Twenty20 International played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on the 13th.
Invited to bat first by the Sri Lankan captain, who won the toss, Pakistan posted 168 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. In reply, Sri Lanka chased down the target losing only 2 wickets with 17 balls still to spare.
Sri Lanka went into this match with one change, bringing in Vijayakanth Viyaskanth in place of Maheesh Theekshana, who played in the previous match.
Pakistan made four changes for this match. Accordingly, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Razaullah and Sufyan Moqim came into the side in place of Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed, who featured in the previous match.
Sri Lanka squad
Kusal Mendis (captain and wicketkeeper), Lahiru Udara, Sineth Jayawardena, Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Eshan Malinga and Nuwan Thushara.
Pakistan squad
Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Imran, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Razaullah, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim.
Batting first, Pakistan's top scorer was captain Sahibzada Farhan. He recorded half-centuries in all three matches of this series, finishing the series with 238 runs in 3 innings. He also maintained an average of 79.33.
In this match he faced 47 balls and scored 76 runs with 7 fours and 3 sixes. With Pakistan's innings reduced to 102 for 6, Sahibzada Farhan joined Arafat Minhas to build a 66-run stand off 37 balls for the 7th wicket.
When the Pakistan innings ended, Arafat Minhas was unbeaten on 34 off 20 balls, with 2 fours and 2 sixes.
In addition to the pair, Hasan Nawaz made 16 runs off 17 balls with 2 fours, while Abdul Samad scored 15 off 10 balls with a six and 2 fours.
With the ball, Dasun Shanaka recorded the best bowling figures of the innings, taking 3 wickets for 21 runs. In addition, Nuwan Thushara and Eshan Malinga claimed two wickets each, while Vijayakanth Viyaskanth took one.
As usual, Lahiru Udara and Sineth Jayawardena opened Sri Lanka's reply, but their partnership was limited to 15 runs off 7 balls. The opening stand ended when Lahiru Udara was dismissed for a single run off the second ball he faced.
Captain Kusal Mendis then came to the crease and played a successful innings, keeping young batter Sineth Jayawardena company at the other end. The pair took Sri Lanka to the end of the powerplay of 6 overs, adding 44 runs off the 29 balls that followed.
Sineth Jayawardena, who fell as the second wicket of the innings, faced 26 balls and scored 38 runs with 2 fours. The second-wicket partnership between him and Kusal Mendis was worth 59 runs off 41 balls.
After his dismissal, Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis carried Sri Lanka to victory, adding an unbroken 98-run stand off 55 balls for the 3rd wicket.
By then Kusal Mendis had recorded his best innings in Twenty20 International cricket, remaining unbeaten on 87 off 48 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes, while Kamindu Mendis was unbeaten on 40 off 27 balls with 4 fours.
With the ball, Arafat Minhas and Mohammad Imran shared the two Sri Lankan wickets that fell.
Match summary scorecard
Pakistan – 168 for 8 (20.0) Sahibzada Farhan 76, Arafat Minhas 34 not out, Nuwan Thushara 2/38, Eshan Malinga 2/38, Dasun Shanaka 3/21
Sri Lanka – 172 for 2 (17.1) Sineth Jayawardena 38, Kusal Mendis 87 not out, Kamindu Mendis 40 not out
Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets.
- Player of the Match – Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)
- Player of the Series – Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan)
With this series now complete, the tri-nation One-Day series featuring Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England is scheduled to begin on the 18th of this month.
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Based on ThePapare reporting