Pakistan sweeps Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) – Pakistan completed a 3-0 series sweep of Sri Lanka with a clinical six-wicket victory in their third and final ODI on Sunday with 32 balls remaining.

Mohammad Rizwan (61 not out) and Fakhar Zaman (55) scored second successive half centuries and eased Pakistan to 215-4 in 44.4 overs.

Sri Lanka earlier wasted a brisk start before it was bowled out for 211 in 45.2 overs after Afridi won the toss and 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 anchored Pakistan to a thumping eight-wicket victory in the second game at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to lead the side after missing the second game with fever.

“Winning the series 3-0 is always good,” Afridi said. “Senior players like Babar and Rizwan are the backbone of our team and they delivered throughout the series.”

Zaman followed his 78 in the second game with a fluent half century after co-opener Haseebullah Khan, one of the four changes Pakistan made, fell for a 12-ball duck in his first game of the series.

Zaman and Babar (34) then controlled the chase with a 76-run stand as Sri Lanka pace bowlers struggled with a wet ball because of dew.

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

Zaman completed his half century off 39 balls with seven fours before leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay (3-42) picked up three wickets in the middle overs.

Kamindu Mendis took a brilliant diving catch at deep mid-wicket to end Zaman’s 45-ball knock in the 16th over and Babar’s off stump got clattered when he misread Vandersay’s ball. Vandersay then successfully went for an LBW review against Salman Ali Agha (6) as Pakistan slipped to 115-4 in the 25th over.

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

Kamil Mishra (29), who made his ODI debut in the series, and Pathum Nissanka (24) again provided a decent start of 55 before Pakistan pace pegged back Sri Lanka’s progress.

Nissanka dragged Haris Rauf’s (2-38) short ball back onto his stumps and Mohammad Wasim (3-47) had Mishara caught behind.

Stand-in captain Kusal Mendis, who led the side after Charith Asalanka missed out because of illness, was clean bowled for 34.

Sadeera Samarawickrama top-scored with 48 before he fell to wrist spinner Faisal Akram (2-42), who played his first ODI in a year as Pakistan tested its bench strength and rested frontline spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Debutant Pavan Rathnayake showed some resistance and made 32 off 37 before he was the last man to go in a runout as Sri Lanka was dismissed for the lowest total of the series.

“Five of our top batters started well, but didn’t continue and that’s why we struggled,” Kusal Mendis said. “Hope we improve going forward … Vandersay bowled really well, he gave everything.”

Zimbabwe will now join Sri Lanka and Pakistan in a T20 tri-series as part of preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup.

All matches will be played at Rawalpindi with host Pakistan taking on Zimbabwe in the first match on Tuesday.

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

However, Sri Lanka Cricket directed the team to continue the tour after it was reassured about security by the Pakistan Cricket Board.