Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in third ODI
AFP – October 02, 2019
Babar Azam was awarded the Player of the Series title. “The hundred two nights ago was my first hundred in Pakistan, so proud of that. My plan is to bat all the overs I can. We’ve got a good confidence boost from this series, hope to carry it through to the T20Is,” he said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Sri Lanka were lifted to 297-9 in their 50 overs opener Danushka Gunathilaka scoring a career best 133 before Pakistan reached their target in 48.2 overs.
Fakhar Zaman led the way with 76 while fellow opener Abid Ali scored 74 and Haris Sohail 56.
The host team were off to a good chase before the first wicket fell at 19.3 overs, when Abid Ali (74 off 67) was dismissed off a googly by Hasaranga.
Babar Azam (31 off 26) was ruled ‘out’ after a successful leg-before-wicket review appeal of Pradeep’s delivery at 29.1 overs.
Fakhar Zaman (76 off 91), in an attempt to hit an upper cut, ended up hitting it towards the third man fielder (Shanaka) and was caught out.
Iftikhar completes the act in the NSK with 22-ball 28!
Pakistan win by 5 wickets with 10 balls remaining 🇵🇰#PAKvSL SCORECARD▶️ https://t.co/UQjPC7fMle pic.twitter.com/NRCfdC7ZOm
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 2, 2019
Earlier, Gunathilaka knocked a 134-ball 133 with 16 boundaries and a six for his second hundred which lifted Sri Lanka after they won the toss and batted on a flat National stadium pitch.
Gunathilaka, suspended twice for breaches of disciplines in the last two years, held the innings together with stands of 88 with skipper Lahiru Thirimanne (36) for the second, 50 for the third with Angelo Perera (13) and 74 with debutant Minod Bhanuka (36) for the fourth in a brilliant display of batting.
Amir finishes with 10-0-50-3 👏🏼#PAKvSL LIVE ▶️ https://t.co/lCDZ7oXdVZ | @TheRealPCB_Live pic.twitter.com/Xt8JqULxRz
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 2, 2019
Gunathilaka defied Pakistan’s bowling with guts and determination, improving his previous ODI best of 116 he made against Zimbabwe at Hambantota in 2017.
Thirimanne hit four boundaries off 54 balls while Bhanuka had two sixes in his 39-ball knock.
All-rounder Dasun Shanaka hit a quick 24-ball 43 with five boundaries and two sixes as Sri Lanka added 50 in the last five overs.
Pakistan won the second game by 67 runs while the first match was rained off without a ball being bowled, both in Karachi.
For today’s fixture, the side brought Abid Ali and Mohammad Nawaz for Imamul Haq and Imad Wasim.
For Sri Lanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Isuru Udana and Oshada Fernando made way for Bhanuka, Lakshan Sandakan and Perera.
The first match was rained off, also in Karachi, on Friday.
After the ODIs conclude, the teams will face each other in three Twenty20 internationals in Lahore.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (capt), Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Angelo Perera, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari
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