Pakistan sweeps Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

Pakistan completed a clinical six-wicket series victory over Sri Lanka 3-0 with 32 balls remaining in their third and final ODI on Sunday.

Mohammad Rizwan (61 not out) and Fakhar Zaman (55) scored their second consecutive half-century to take Pakistan to 215-4 in 44.4 overs.

Sri Lanka had gotten off to a flying start before posting 211 in 45.2 overs after Afridi won the toss and was elected to field.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six runs in a thrilling first ODI and Babar Azam’s first international century in over two years propelled Pakistan to a thumping eight-wicket victory in the second match at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to lead the team after missing the second match with a fever.

“It is always good to win the series 3-0,” Afridi said. “Senior players like Babar and Rizwan are the backbone of our team and they have done well throughout the series.”

After joint opener Haseebullah Khan, one of four changes made by Pakistan, fell in love with a 12-ball duck in the first match of the series, Zaman followed up his score of 78 with a fluent half-century in the second match.

Zaman and Babar (34) controlled the chase with a 76-run stand as Sri Lankan bowlers struggled with the ball wet due to dew.

Fast bowlers Eshan Malinga and Pramod Madushan conceded 100 runs in a total of 18 overs without a wicket after Sri Lanka rested front-line pacers Dushmantha Chameera and Asitha Fernando for the dead rubber and also made four changes.

Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay (3-42) grabbed three wickets in the middle as Zaman completed his half-century with seven fours off 39 balls.

Kamindu Mendis took a superb diving catch at mid-wicket to end Zaman’s 45 in the 16th over, and Babar’s injury pinged as he misread Vandersay’s ball. Vandersay then successfully went for an LBW review against Salman Ali Agha (6) as Pakistan collapsed to 115-4 in the 25th over.

But Rizwan, playing in his 100th ODI, and Hussain Talat (42 not out) continued Pakistan’s comfortable chase with an uninterrupted century stand.

Kamil Mishra (29) and Pathum Nissanka (24), making their ODI debuts in the series, again got off to a good start with 55 before Pakistan’s pace slowed Sri Lanka’s progress.

Nissanka dragged Haris Rauf’s (2-38) short ball backwards and Mohammad Wasim (3-47) edged Mishara.

Alternate captain Kusal Mendis, who led the team after Charith Asalanka could not play due to illness, had a clean sheet with 34 points.

Sadeera Samarawickrama top-scored with 48 before falling to wrist spinner Faisal Akram (2-42), who was playing his first ODI in a year when Pakistan tested their bench strength and rested front-line spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Debutant Pavan Rathnayake showed some resilience, making 32 for 37 before becoming the last man out for the tour as Sri Lanka were eliminated from their lowest total of the series.

“Our top five players started well but they couldn’t continue and that’s why we struggled,” Kusal Mendis said. “Hopefully we can get better in the future… Vandersay bowled really well, gave it his all.”

Zimbabwe will join Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the T20 tri-series as part of their preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup.

All matches will be played in Rawalpindi and in the first match, host Pakistan will face Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

The white-ball tour was in doubt after Sri Lankan players wanted to leave the country on Tuesday, hours before the first ODI near Rawalpindi, after a suicide bomber killed 12 people outside a court in Islamabad.

However, Sri Lanka Cricket instructed the team to continue the tour after being given assurances about safety by the Pakistan Cricket Board.