Sri Lanka 172 for 2 (Kusal 87*, Kamindu 40*, Imran 1-31) beat Pakistan 168 for 8 (Farhan 76, Shanaka 3-21) by eight wickets
The series may have been lost but Sri Lanka will be feeling a lot better about themselves following a comprehensive win in the third and final T20I. Kusal Mendis’ 87 off 48 led the way in the chase, as Sri Lanka hunted down Pakistan’s total of 168 for 8 with 17 balls and eight wickets to spare.
There was the customary fifty-plus score from Sahibzada Farhan but this time Sri Lanka’s bowlers ensured their plans were executed with more precision than had been for much of the tour. This was highlighted by the fact that aside from Farhan, only one other Pakistan batter scored more than 20 – Arafat Minhas with 34.
Dasun Shanaka was the unlikely hero with the ball, picking up figures of 3 for 21, while Vijayakanth Viyaskanth – in for Maheesh Theekshana – too was pivotal in halting the run-scoring during his four overs which went for just 23 and brought about one wicket. There were two wickets apiece too for Eshan Malinga and Nuwan Thushara.
Then with the chase, Lahiru Udara fell early – even though SL opted against a review that would have reprieved him – but after that Kusal put together stands of 59 and 98* with Sineth Jayawardena (38 off 26) and then Kamindu Mendis (40 off 27) to see the game to a close with quite some degree of comfort.
Farhan’s battle, but SL’s war
It was Farhan once more putting Sri Lanka’s bowlers to the sword as he pummelled seven fours and three sixes across his 76-run, 47-ball innings, but that Sri Lanka still managed to restrict Pakistan to under 170 highlights just how well the Sri Lankan bowlers executed their plans against the rest of the batting.
After yet another quick start from the openers Malinga’s outstanding opening over – the fourth of the inning and a double wicket maiden – brought Sri Lanka right into the contest, as both Fakhar Zaman and Maaz Sadaqat were removed trying to hit out.
This though did not slow down Farhan, as he and Hasan Nawaz struck five boundaries over the next two overs to end the powerplay on 57 for 2. This though was where Sri Lanka put on the squeeze, led by the excellent Viyaskanth.
The 24-year-old legspinner from Jaffna did his chances of more starts no harm at all with a brilliant spell of defensive bowling. On a wicket with good bounce and the ball coming on well, Viyaskanth kept his trajectories flat and speeds consistently between 90-100kph.
It meant runs were being blocked up from one end, a T20 currency that you could argue is more important than wickets. Benefitting from Viyaskanth’s control and defensive aptitude was Shanaka, who himself has been showing increasing bowling nouse as of late. Despite possessing pace in the mid 120s, Shanaka’s variations in pace and length proved frustrating for the Pakistani batters as they time and again failed to get him away for significant runs.
But at the other end Farhan was playing his own game as he proceeded to pretty much bat right through the innings, falling only off the penultimate ball of the innings. While Arafat’s runs were also vital, Farhan was no doubt the difference between Pakistan stumbling to a score below 140 and what they eventually managed.