Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Wanindu Hasaranga, were instrumental in slowing down Pakistan’s chase. Despite the difficult conditions, Wanindu Hasaranga claimed four wickets for 35 runs in his three overs.All of his dismissals came from batsmen trying to play aggressive shots against him.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s pace and turn proved too much for the Pakistani batsmen as they struggled to keep up with Sri Lanka’s high run rate throughout their innings. Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed the likes of Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Khawaja Nafay, and Shadab Khan. Wanindu Hasaranga packed a punch for the Lankans and deflated Pakistan. In three overs, he claimed 4/35.
Wanindu Hasaranga completed 150 wickets in T20Is with his third scalp. He has raced to 151 scalps at 15.68 from 92 matches. This was his 5th four-fer in T20Is.He has joined the likes of Rashid Khan (182), Tim Southee (164), Mustafizur Rahman (158), and Ish Sodhi (157) in terms of 150-plus T20I scalps. Wanindu Hasaranga now owns 337 wickets overall in T20s from 240 matches (231 innings) at an average of 17.36. This was his 11th four-fer in T20s. He also owns three five-wicket hauls.
Sri Lanka ended a 14-year drought by beating Pakistan in a Twenty20 game at home to draw their three-match series 1-1. The hosts won the third T20 by 14 runs on Sunday.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : The conditions shouldn’t change for the next two hours. It’s a good, firm wicket, dry. Good strokes and you’ll be rewarded. It’s a damp outfield reckons John Kent
Toss : Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha won the toss in the rain truncated 12 over match and chose to bowl first with Naseem Shah and debutant Khwaja Nafay in the Playing XI. Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka batting first made 2 changes in the Playing XI bringing in Eshan Malinga and Matheesha Pathirana in the Playing XI.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka’s fiery 34 off 9 balls powers SL to 160 for 6 in 20 overs
The game was delayed for over two hours due to rain before Pakistan opted to field upon winning the toss. Sri Lanka’s innings was a riddle of boundaries and wickets – a trend that was established early in the contest.
Kamil Mishara got off to a cracking start, striking three fours and a six, but was dismissed in the second over. Pathum Nissanka had already departed for a two-ball duck by then. All of Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka got off to starts and crossed 20 before falling.
Sri Lanka’s top-order batters earlier kept scoring at a rapid pace in challenging conditions for the bowlers, who had to bowl with the wet ball due to soggy outfield. Opener Kamil Mishara scored 20 off 8 balls; Kusal Mendis capitalized on a dropped catch with a knock of 30 off 16; and former white-ball captain Charith Asalanka scored 21 off 13.
Sri Lanka’s captain was under a little pressure to impose himself after recently reclaiming the leadership. To this match he brought his best big-hitting self, and transformed a good total into a daunting one. Shanaka came in with only 19 balls left in the innings, then smoked his second and third balls for six. Then, in the final over bowled by Mohammad Wasim, Shanaka thumped three sixes off the first three balls, depositing two of those over the deep cover boundary. He holed out off the third-to-last ball of the innings, but he had produced a gem.
The stage had been set for him by a top order that had already prospered, however. By he time Shanaka arrived, Sri Lanka were already 100 for 5 after 8.5 overs.
Shanaka and Janith Liyanage (22 not out off 8 balls) provided the late flurry as Sri Lanka scored 58 runs in the final three overs – 19 runs in the 10th over, 15 in the 11th and 24 in the 12th. Shanaka stayed deep in his crease and smacked Wasim for three successive sixes in the last over.
The most defining stand, worth 52 and taking just 15 balls, was shared by Dasun Shanaka and Janith Liyanage. Joining forces in the 10th over, they struck six sixes and three fours between them. This included the three consecutive sixes Shanaka struck to start the final over, bowled by Mohammad Wasim, before holing out off the fourth ball. A boundary struck by Liyanage off the last ball meant Sri Lanka finished strong on 160/6.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s 4-fer powers SL to series levelling 1-1 14 runs win over Pakistan
Pakistan’s chase started with promise even as they lost Shahibzada Farhan early. Walking in at No. 3, captain Salman Agha launched a destructive assault as Pakistan scored 22 runs off both the second and third overs.
Of the 12 he faced, the only ball Agha didn’t score off was the one he got out to. Agha hit three sixes, five fours, one three, and two twos in his innings. He took a particular liking to the bowling of Maheesh Theekshana, who went for 22 runs in the third over. His most spectacular shot was an over-the-shoulder scoop against Matheesha Pathirana in the fourth over, which sailed over the boundary. But then Pathirana wised up, bowled fuller, and Agha sent a catch to short fine leg to end his innings.
Sri Lanka wrested the momentum when Matheesha Pathirana had Salman Agha caught at fine-leg attempting a scoop in the fourth over. Then, Wanindu Hasaranga struck twice in the following over, removing both Saim Ayub, who had been just a spectator to the fireworks at the other end, and Usman Khan.
Agha had slashed the target to 101 inside the first four overs of Pakistan’s lively chase when he smacked three sixes and five fours. But Pathirana provided a crucial breakthrough when Agha holed out to short fine leg while attempting a ramp shot against the pacer.
Although the ball was difficult to grip, this Dambulla surface still took decent turn. And Wanindu Hasaranga can be devastating on such tracks, particularly when the opposition has no choice but to target him. Although often Wanindu Hasaranga gets plenty of bowled and lbw dismissals with his googly, all four of his victims on Sunday were caught attempting big shots. His speed through the air and degree of turn created most of those dismissals.
Key wrist-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (4-35) then picked up two wickets in his first five deliveries � Saim Ayub and Usman Khan were caught in the outfield as Pakistan slipped to 67-4. Mohammad Nawaz (28) and debutant wicketkeeper-batter Khawaja Nafay (26) revived the chase with a breezy 49-run stand before Hasaranga grabbed two more wickets in his final over.
With 30 needed off the final two overs, Pathirana clean bowled Nawaz with a slower delivery in the penultimate over which went for 10 runs. Malinga’s final over conceded just five runs, including four wides.
Khawaja Nafay and Mohammad Nawas then shared a 49-run stand to keep Pakistan’s hopes afloat. But the innings unraveled quickly as Wanindu Hasaranga returned to pick up two more wickets, dismissing both Nafay and Shadab Khan, in the 10th over. 20 runs were needed off the final over and it began with Faheem Ashraf being run-out attempting a quick single.
Pakistan couldn’t get close despite Ehsan Malinga spraying four wides attempting wide yorkers and fell 14 short of the target. It was Sri Lanka’s first T20 win against Pakistan at home since 2012.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Salman Ali Agha the losing Pakistan skipper said : It was a great game. We batted really well, but with the ball we gave a little too many. When it comes to bowling and fielding, we need to be better. He (talking about Dasun Shanaka) is a very good hitter of the ball, and whenever he gets going he can destroy any bowling and that’s what he did to us.
If I would have batted 3-4 overs, it would have been a more closer game. I am happy with the batting unit, the way we approached. It would have been brilliant if we had chase that, but that is how cricket goes. Bowling is something we need to improve and we are working on that and we will be fine in the coming games.
Dasun Shanaka the winning Sri Lanka skipper said : It is a great win. Want to thank the groundstaff for getting the ground ready despite the rain over the last few days. Initially what we wanted to do was read the pitch and wanted that stability upfront.
Very happy that each and every batter contributed. I am happy and I feel very confident, even in practice I am hitting it well, so feels nice to show my talent. Wanindu is a master of this game and he knows how to handle these situations. Each and everyone bowled really well and really happy for all the bowlers.
Wanindu Hasaranga Player of the Match and Player of the Series for his performance said : It was a hard game, they batted really well and especially their captain, but our bowlers did good job with the ball. When we batted, I realized that I needed to bowl wide and use the long boundaries. Personally I am feeling good and we have 3 more games before the World Cup and we are planning to do best in next 3 games and be ready for World Cup.
Sri Lanka, however, fought back strongly through their premier spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who struck twice in his opening over and added two more in his final over. The pace duo of Pathirana and Malinga then held their nerve in the closing overs, making the task significantly tougher for the visitors. It is also worth noting that Sri Lanka were outstanding in the field. They held onto their catches and saved several crucial runs near the boundary ropes.
Pakistan won the first game quite comprehensively, the second was washed out by rain, and Sri Lanka stormed back with a thoroughly professional performance in the final match. Fittingly, the trophy is shared, with both captains inviting their respective teams for the photographs. It is that time of the year when teams fine-tune their engines ahead of the T20 World Cup, and both sides will feel this series served as ideal preparation in that context.
Pakistan will play a three-match T20 series against Australia at home before the T20 World Cup begins Feb. 7 while Sri Lanka hosts England in a white-ball series later this month.