Third ODI: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets, sweep series 3-0

Rawalpindi (Web Desk): Pakistan rounded off their One-Day-International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka with another assured performance, sealing a 3-0 clean sweep after a six-wicket win in the final match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

A tight, disciplined bowling display restricted the visitors to a modest total, and half-centuries from Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan ensured the chase was completed comfortably in 44.4 overs.

Set 212 to win, Pakistan had an early setback when young opener Haseebullah Khan fell for a duck, edging Maheesh Theekshana after eight balls to leave the home side at 8-1 in the fourth over.

The pressure eased when Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman came together, putting on 74 runs for the second wicket and guiding Pakistan to 82-2 in the 15th over.

Fakhar looked in flowing touch, hammering eight fours in his 55 off 45 balls before Jeffrey Vandersay halted his progress.

Rizwan then joined Babar, and the pair pushed the score past 100 in the 20th over, leaving Pakistan with a manageable target of 112 runs from the remaining 30 overs.

But Vandersay struck twice in one burst, first removing Babar for a patient 34 off 52 balls, then getting rid of Salman Ali Agha for six. Those quick wickets brought Pakistan to 101-4 and provided Sri Lanka a brief window of hope.

Mohammad Rizwan and Hussain Talat, however, shut down any chances of a collapse with calm and mature batting. They chipped away at the runs, nudged Pakistan beyond 150, and steadily rebuilt the innings. By the time the 37th over finished, the scoreboard read 167-4, and the pressure had largely evaporated.

The pair eventually crafted an unbroken 100-run partnership, with Rizwan anchoring the chase through his unbeaten 61 off 92 balls while Talat supported strongly with 42 not out, guiding the team past the finish line with more than five overs remaining.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka began well as openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara put together a promising stand. Their partnership was broken when Haris Rauf removed Nissanka for 24 off 27 balls, bringing Sri Lanka to 55-1 in the ninth over. Mishara contributed another 14 runs alongside acting captain Kusal Mendis before falling to Mohammad Wasim Jr for 29 off 30, which included five boundaries.

Mendis then combined with Sadeera Samarawickrama to add 43 valuable runs for the third wicket, but Wasim Jr once again delivered a timely breakthrough by dismissing the skipper for 34 off 54 balls, leaving Sri Lanka at 112-3 as the innings approached its midpoint.

Faisal Akram tightened the grip immediately after by removing Kamindu Mendis for 10, and Faheem Ashraf followed by sending Janith Liyanage back for just four, reducing Sri Lanka to 143-5 in the 31st over.

Samarawickrama worked to keep the innings afloat, but he too fell short of a fifty when Akram trapped him on 48 from 65 balls. Shaheen Afridi struck next, getting rid of Theekshana for seven as Sri Lanka slid to 180-7.

Wasim Jr continued his impressive outing by bowling Jeffrey Vandersay for four, while Pavan Rathnayake’s late hitting—32 off 38 balls with two fours and a six—pushed the visitors beyond the 200 mark.

Haris Rauf removed Pramod Madushan for seven, and Rathnayake eventually fell to a run-out by Saim Ayub, ending the innings at 210 in the 45th over.

Wasim Jr emerged as Pakistan’s standout bowler with figures of 3 for 47 from his 10 overs. Faisal Akram and Haris Rauf collected two wickets each, while Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf added one apiece to complete a tidy all-round effort.