Sri Lankan captain Lehiru Thirimanne lauded the efforts of Sri Lankan side given in the ground and put a defendable 298 run chase. "This is my first time playing cricket in Pakistan and enjoyed here and encouraged other teams to play in Pakistan," he said. Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed said that it was not easy chase and praised Abid, Fakhar, Haris and other players for giving wining performance and added that we give away 40 extra runs due to poor fielding. We will not take Sri Lanka easy and come hard in T20 matches to be played in Lahore from October 5, 2019.
Abid Ali and Fakhar Zaman opened the innings for Pakistan. Both made a partnership of 123 runs of 116 balls and provided a healthy opening stand to Pakistan. Abid Ali was dropped by substitute fielder Saadeera at 52 in 12 overs that helped him to play an impressive knock of 74 of 67 balls with 10 boundaries. He was given lbw by third umpire on de Silva's ball in 20th over.
Later, Sohail and Iftikhar conscientious innings of 56 runs of 50 balls and 28 of 22 balls, respectively sailed Pakistan to a victory. Pakistan won ODI series after July 2018 when Pakistan lifted the cup in an ODI series with Zimbabwe. Pardeep took 2 for 53 in 9.2 overs while Kumara, De Silva and Jayasuriya grabbed one wicket each. Kumara (55 in 7 overs), De Silva (54 for 10 overs) and Jayasuriya (39 runs in 7 overs).
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and set a total of 298 runs for Pakistan in 3rd ODI match played in Karachi after a decade. Pardeep took Babar's wicket when he was playing at 31. He was also given lbw out by third umpire on review in 30th overs. Then Sarfaraz came down to the crease at number 4. In his next over, Pardeep fell down an important wicket of Fakhar when 189 runs were on scoreboard in 32nd overs. He scored 76 of 90 balls with seven fours and one big six and was caught out by Shanaka while playing uppercut at third man.
Sarfaraz and Haris tried to sail Pakistan in this decisive match and made a partnership of 52 runs then Kumara's ball chipped in to the stumps in 41st overs and Sarfaraz was bowled out while playing on the onside. He manages to score 34 runs. In 46th over, when Pakistan needed 37 of 30 balls, Haris started Lehiru's over with six at long off and collected 18 runs with Iftikhar and closed the match to victory. However, Haris was bowled out by Jayasuriya in 48th overs. He made 56 of 50 with three boundaries and one six. Later, Iftikhar took the charge and hit six and a four two first balls of 49th overs and put Pakistan to a victory stand.
Dhanushka Gunathilaka and Avishka Fernando opened the innings but they again failed to provide solid opening stand. Avishka caught behind the wicket on the first ball of Aamir's second over. He scored 4 of 5 balls. Captain Thirimanna came down on crease at number 3 and strived to give stability to the Sri Lankan innings but was caught and bowled by Muhammad Nawaz in 19th overs followed by Sri Lanka's 100 runs. Having a partnership of 88 runs of 106 balls with Gunathilaka, who played run a ball century in 31st overs, Thirimanne made 36 runs of 53 balls with four boundaries. Angelo Perera's innings came to an end when he was caught by Haris on Shinwari's ball in 29.1 over at midwicket. He scored 13 runs of 25 balls.
Later, Muhammad Aamir put a full stop on the innings of dangerous Gunathilaka on a Yorker at 44.3 overs. He was bowled out at 133. He hit 16 boundaries and 1 six. All-rounder Shanaka and wicketkeeper Bhanuka made a decent partnership of 74 runs later in the innings but Bhanuka fumbled while attempting to take a single on Shadab's fuller ball that hit his pads but Nawaz took the ball and threw to Sarfaraz, who collected it well and hit the stumps. Bhanuka made 36 of 39 balls with two sixes on his debut.
All-rounder Shanaka scored 43 runs of just 24 balls that helped Islanders to set a total of 298 runs for Pakistan in a decisive 3rd ODI match. He was caught by Haris at extra cover on Wahab, who remained most expensive bowler with 81 runs against Shanaka's wicket on the last ball of the Sri Lankan innings.
Aamir took 3 wickets (Gunathilaka, Fernando and De Silva) while Usman, Wahab, Shadab and Nawaz took one each. Joel Wilson of West Indies and Aleem Dar were the field umpires of the match. Pakistan made two changes in its winning XI; Imam-ul-Haq who got injuries on his left hand, has been replaced by Abid Ali. Imad Wasim was swapped with another left-arm spinning all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz.
Sri Lanka made three changes. Two batmen Sadeera Samarawickrama and Oshada Fernando have been taken rest and debutant Minod Bhanuka and Angelo Perera were sent in the ground. Similarly, left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan has replaced all-rounder Isuru Udana. This much waited ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka attracted considerable number of spectators at National Stadium Karachi (NSK), despite hot weather and Sri Lanka's weak side.
Corps Commander Karachi and DG Rangers Sindh also visited the stadium. Major General Omer Ahmad Bukhari while talking to media said that this international event sent the message in the world that Karachi is the safest city for any international event and urged other cricketing nations to play in Pakistan. He said that he learnt a lot as this was his first assignment as DG Sindh Rangers. Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami, Sindh also visited the stadium.
Scoreboard
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Sri Lanka
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D. Gunathilaka b Amir 133
A. Fernando c Sarfaraz b Amir 4
L. Thirimanne c and b Nawaz 36
A. Perera c Sohail b Shinwari 13
M. Bhanuka run out 36
S. Jayasuriya c Iftikhar b Shadab 3
D. Shanaka c Sohail b W. Riaz 43
W. Hasaranga b Amir 10
L. Sandakan run out 0
N. Pradeep not out 1
Extras: (b1, lb7, nb2, w8) 18
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Total: (for 9 wkts; 50 overs) 297
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Did not bat: L. Kumara Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Fernando), 2-101 (Thirimanne), 3-151 (Perera), 4-225 (Bhanuka), 5-236 (Jayasuriya), 6-243 (Gunathilaka), 7-284 (Hasaranga), 8-284 (Sandakan), 9-297 (Shanaka)
Bowling: Amir 10-0-50-3 (3w), Shinwari 8-1-41-1 (2w), Iftikhar 9-1-43-0 (1w), Riaz 10-0-81-1 (2nb), Shadab 9-0-50-1 (2w), Nawaz 4-0-24-1
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Pakistan
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F. Zaman c Shanaka b Pradeep 76
Abid Ali lbw b Hasaranga 74
Babar Azam lbw b Pradeep 31
Sarfaraz Ahmed b Kumara 23
Haris Sohail b Jayasuriya 56
Iftikhar Ahmed not out 28
Wahab Riaz not out 1
Extras: (b3, lb5, w2) 10
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Total: (for 5 wkts; 48.2 overs) 299
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Did not bat: Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari Fall of wickets: 1-123 (Abid), 2-181 (Azam), 3-189 (Zaman), 4-244 (Sarfaraz), 5-287 (Sohail)
Bowling: Pradeep 9.2-1-53-2, Shanaka 5-0-28-0, Kumara 7-0-55-1 (1w), Sandakan 10-0-62-0 (1w), Hasaranga 10-0-54-1, Jayasuriya 7-0-39-1
Result: Pakistan won by five wickets
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS) and Aleem Dar (PAK)
Tv umpire: Michael Gough (ENG)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS).