Yet another unsurprising spectacle at Rawalpindi
Sri Lanka’s disappointing run in the Pakistan Tri-Series continued yesterday in Rawalpindi, as another below-par performance handed them their second straight defeat. After being bowled out for just 95 in their opening match against Zimbabwe, fans expected a response. Instead, the same issues resurfaced, and Pakistan coasted to a comfortable 7-wicket victory.
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan hit his sixth T20 half century
Sri Lanka opted to bat first but were on the back foot almost immediately. They could manage only 128 for 7 in their 20 over–nowhere near enough against a strong Pakistan batting line-up. Yet the innings had begun promisingly. Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, promoted ahead of Kusal Mendis, added 31 runs inside the first four overs. Mishara’s lively 22 off 12 balls hinted at momentum, but once he fell, the innings lost its shape and purpose.
Pakistan’s spinners then took charge, exposing once again Sri Lanka’s ongoing struggle against slow bowling. Commentator Ramiz Raja captured the moment with a sharp remark, noting that a nation famous for producing world-class spinners now struggles even against ordinary spin. It felt harsh, but it matched what was unfolding on the field.
The most damaging blow came from Mohammad Nawaz, who struck twice in two balls to remove Kusal Perera and captain Dasun Shanaka, leaving Sri Lanka tottering at 78-5. From there, wickets continued to fall, with several batsmen either misreading the spinners or playing rash shots. The only real resistance came from Janith Liyanage, brought in for Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who fought hard for an unbeaten 41 off 38 balls. However, he found little support from the rest of the lineup.
Chasing 129, Pakistan were in control from the very first over. Opener Sahibzada Farhan produced a superb innings, smashing an unbeaten 80 off 45 balls with six fours and five sixes. Confident and aggressive throughout, he made the chase look effortless. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, including debutant Vijayakanth Viyaskanth struggled to create chances. There was barely any movement, spin, or variation to slow Pakistan down.
Sri Lanka’s only bright passage came when Dushmantha Chameera picked up two wickets in two deliveries, dismissing Babar Azam and Salman Agha. But by that stage, Pakistan needed only 14 more runs with plenty of overs in hand, and the wickets had little impact on the final result.
Pakistan crossed the target in 15.3 overs, winning with 27 balls to spare and underlining the growing gulf between the two sides. For Sri Lanka, it was another worrying performance, with both batting and bowling falling short once again. The team now faces the difficult task of finding answers quickly if they hope to salvage anything from this series.
| Scoreboard | |
| Sri Lanka Pathum Nissanka c Azam b Ahmed 17 Kamil Mishara c Zaman b Ashraf 22 Kusal Mendis run out 03 Kusal Perera b Nawaz 25 Janith Liyanage not out 41 Dasun Shanaka b Nawaz 00 Kamindu Mendis c Wasim b Nawaz 03 Wanindu Hasaranga c Farhan b Mirza 11 Vijayakanth Viyaskanth not out 00 Extras (b1, w5) 06 Total (all out; 20 overs) 128 Did not bat: Dushmantha CHameera, Eshan Malinga Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Mishara, 3.2ov), 2-38 (Kusal M, 5.4ov), 3-60 (Nissanka, 8.1ov), 4-78 (Kusal P, 11.3ov), 5-78 (Shanaka, 11.4ov), 6-86 (Kamindu M, 13.3ov), 7-121 (Hasaranga, 18.4ov) Bowling: Salman Mirza 4-0-26-1, Mohammad Wasim 4-0-27-0, Faheem Ashraf 2-0-15-1, Abrar Ahmed 4-0-28-1, Mohammad Nawaz 4-0-16-3, Saim Aub 2-0-15-0 Pakistan Sahibzada Farhan not out 80 Saim Ayum st Kusal M b Shanaka 20 Babar Azam b Chameera 16 Salman Agha lbw b Chameera 00 Usman Khan not out 05 Extras (lb4, w6) 10 Total (3 wickets; 15.3 overs) 131 Did not bat: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Ayub, 4.6ov), 2-116 (Azam, 13.4ov), 3-116 (Agha, 13.5ov) Bowling: Dushmantha Chameera 3-0-29-2, Eshan Malinga 2.3-0-28-0, Wanindu Hasaranga 4-0-28-0, Dasun Shanaka 2-0-14-1, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 4-0-28-0 |