LAHORE: Sri Lanka secured their place in the ODI tri-series final with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the fifth match at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday. The defeat also ended England’s campaign without a win.
Chasing a modest target of 111, Sri Lanka reached 113-2 in the 19th over, sealing the victory with more than 30 overs to spare.
Openers Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando gave Sri Lanka a flying start. The pair completed a 50-run opening partnership in the seventh over, putting Pakistan under immediate pressure.
However, Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi broke the stand by dismissing Fernando for 16 off 17 deliveries, including two boundaries.
Sri Lanka then lost captain Kusal Mendis, who scored eight off six balls with two boundaries. Arafat Minhas claimed the wicket after the ball deflected off the batter’s bat and crashed into the stumps.
Despite the setbacks, Kamindu Mendis kept the chase on track with an impressive unbeaten half-century. He completed his fifth ODI fifty and survived a potential dismissal when Ghazi Ghori caught his shot but stepped on the boundary rope, resulting in a six.
Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake then built a valuable partnership to take Sri Lanka past the 100-run mark in the 17th over.
Mendis remained unbeaten on 62 off 60 deliveries, hitting eight fours and two sixes. Rathnayake supported him with an unbeaten 23 as Sri Lanka comfortably completed the chase.
Madushanka Destroys Pakistan’s Batting Line-Up
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s bowlers dismissed Pakistan for just 110 in 25.3 overs after the hosts elected to bat first.
Pakistan made a poor start when Dilshan Madushanka dismissed out-of-form opener Fakhar Zaman for five off 13 deliveries in the fourth over.
Asitha Fernando then removed Maaz Sadaqat for eight off 11 balls, reducing Pakistan to 23-2 in 6.2 overs. Madushanka struck again soon afterwards, dismissing Saad Baig for five off eight deliveries.
Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha attempted to stabilise the innings. However, their partnership failed to last long, as Sahan Arachchige dismissed Agha for nine off 14 deliveries.
Pakistan suffered another major setback when Eshan Malinga removed Babar for 29 off 33 balls, including five boundaries. The hosts were left struggling at 61-5 in 13.1 overs.
Shadab Khan, who had scored his maiden ODI century against England in Pakistan’s previous match, managed just two runs off five deliveries before Arachchige claimed his second wicket.
Pakistan Collapse for 110
Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz tried to rebuild the innings, but Madushanka ended their progress by dismissing Minhas for 10 off 18 deliveries. Pakistan had slipped to 91-7 in 21.4 overs.
Sri Lanka continued to take wickets at regular intervals. Dunith Wellalage claimed his first wicket of the match by dismissing Hasan Nawaz, who scored 17 off 31 deliveries, including a six.
Madushanka then removed Haris Rauf for one, bringing his wicket tally to four.
Captain Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah added some late runs to push Pakistan past the 100-run mark in the 25th over. However, Madushanka ended the innings by dismissing Shaheen for 15 off 13 deliveries, including two sixes.
Madushanka finished with outstanding figures of 5-34 in 8.3 overs. Arachchige claimed two wickets, while Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga and Wellalage took one wicket each.
Sri Lanka’s comprehensive victory secured their place in the final, while Pakistan were left to reflect on a disappointing batting performance.
