Pakistan’s bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka’s batting lineup, restricting the visitors to a mere 114 runs in 19.1 overs during the T20I tri-series final at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Lankan Lion seemed steady at start, with openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara putting together 20 runs. But Pakistan’s left-arm speedster Shaheen Afridi struck early, sending Nissanka back for 11, which included a boundary and a towering six, setting the tone for the carnage to follow.
Mishara then joined forces with captain Kusal Mendis to push the score past 50, stitching a crucial 50-run second-wicket partnership. However, Mohammad Nawaz broke the stand, dismissing Mendis cheaply for 14 off 18 balls, leaving Sri Lanka at 84-2 in just 10.3 overs.
Mishara fought valiantly, hitting his third T20I fifty with two fours and four massive sixes before falling for 59 off 47 balls. What followed was pure chaos for Sri Lanka. Abrar Ahmed struck twice in quick succession, removing Kusal Perera for one and Pavan Rathnayake for eight, reducing the visitors to 103-4 in 14.4 overs.
Nawaz kept the pressure on, taking the wickets of Janith Liyanage for a duck and Wanindu Hasaranga for five. Shaheen Afridi returned to wreak havoc, dismissing skipper Dasun Shanaka for two and Maheesh Theekshana for one, leaving Sri Lanka crumbling at 113-9 in 18.5 overs. The final blow came from Salman Mirza, who trapped Dushmantha Chameera for a duck in the last over, sealing a dramatic collapse.
Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz were the stars of the show, claiming three wickets each. Abrar Ahmed added two, while Salman Mirza and Saim Ayub chipped in with one apiece. Pakistan’s relentless bowling ensured a dominant display, leaving Sri Lanka’s batsmen in tatters and fans in awe.
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha (c), Usman Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (c), Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have clashed 26 times in T20 internationals, with the hosts holding the edge with 15 wins compared to Sri Lanka’s 11. The league stage of this tri-series witnessed a nail-biting encounter, where Sri Lanka edged out Pakistan by a mere six runs.
Pakistan enter the final in blistering form, boasting five consecutive wins, three in the ongoing tri-series and two from their recent series triumph over South Africa at home. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will look to capitalize on the confidence gained from their last victory over the hosts, aiming to turn it into a title-winning performance.
