Rizwan, Talat Seal Clean Sweep as Pakistan Outclass Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan wrapped up the ODI series in style, completing a clean 3-0 sweep over Sri Lanka with a six-wicket win in the final match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Fluent fifties from Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan ensured a comfortable chase of 212 despite a few hiccups along the way.
Pakistan’s reply started shakily when opener Haseebullah Khan departed without scoring, facing eight balls before Maheesh Theekshana trapped him to make it 8-1 after four overs.
Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman then steadied things with a composed 74-run stand for the second wicket, lifting the total to 82-2 by the 16th over. Fakhar, continuing his good run, hammered 55 off 45 balls with eight boundaries to notch up his 19th ODI half-century before Jeffrey Vandersay broke through.
Rizwan joined Babar and kept the scoreboard moving, taking Pakistan into triple figures in the 20th over with 112 still required from 30 overs. But Sri Lanka fought back when Vandersay struck twice in quick succession—first removing Babar for a hard-fought 34, then dismissing Salman Ali Agha for just six—to reduce Pakistan to 101-4 and momentarily shift the momentum.
Rizwan found a reliable partner in Hussain Talat as the pair calmly rebuilt the chase. Their steady approach brought up 150 in the 37th over, and with the pressure easing, they went on to construct an unbeaten 100-run partnership. Rizwan remained solid throughout, finishing with a serene 61* off 92 balls, while Talat contributed a valuable 42*. Together they guided Pakistan to the target with ease, sealing victory in the 45th over.
Earlier, Sri Lanka opted to bat and made a decent start through Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara. Their opening stand ended when Haris Rauf removed Nissanka for 24, leaving the visitors 55-1. Mishara added a few more alongside acting captain Kusal Mendis before Wasim Jr sent him back for 29.
Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama tried to revive the innings with a 43-run partnership, but Wasim Jr struck again to dismiss Mendis for 34. Faisal Akram then tightened the screws by removing Kamindu Mendis, and Faheem Ashraf soon added another when Janith Liyanage fell cheaply. Sri Lanka slipped to 143-5 by the 31st over.
Samarawickrama held one end together with a determined 48 but couldn’t reach a fifty, becoming Akram’s second victim. Shaheen Afridi then removed Theekshana, and Wasim Jr returned to complete his three-wicket haul by cleaning up Vandersay with a pinpoint yorker. Pavan Rathnayake’s 32 kept Sri Lanka afloat past 200, but Haris Rauf struck again before Rathnayake was eventually run out by Saim Ayub, ending the innings at 210.
Wasim Jr led Pakistan’s bowling charts with figures of 3/47, while Faisal Akram and Haris Rauf chipped in with two wickets each. Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf picked up a wicket apiece as Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total—one they chased down clinically to seal the series whitewash.
