Key Takeaways
- Kusal Mendis scored 87 off 48 balls to guide Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory.
- Sri Lanka chased 169 and reached 172-2 in 17.1 overs, with Kamindu Mendis unbeaten on 40.
- Pakistan lost early wickets but Sri Lanka's partnership of 98 for the third wicket secured the win.
Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis produced a blistering unbeaten 87 off 48 balls to steer his team to an eight-wicket consolation victory over Pakistan in the third Twenty20 International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing 169, Sri Lanka cruised to 172-2 in 17.1 overs, with Kusal and Kamindu Mendis combining in an unbroken 98-run partnership for the third wicket to complete the chase with 17 balls to spare.
Kamindu remained unbeaten on 40 off 27 deliveries, striking four fours, as Sri Lanka ended the series on a winning note after Pakistan had secured the first two matches.
Kusal’s commanding knock included nine fours and four sixes, as he repeatedly found gaps and punished Pakistan’s wayward bowling. His innings featured a mixture of powerful drives, deft improvisation and clean hitting down the ground, leaving the hosts unable to stem the flow of runs.
Sri Lanka suffered an early setback when Lahiru Udara was trapped leg-before-wicket by Imran Randhawa for one in the second over. Imran produced a delivery that swung sharply from wide of off stump to strike the left-hander on the back pad, giving Pakistan an encouraging start.
However, Sineth Jayawardena and Kusal quickly shifted the momentum. Jayawardena attacked from the outset, striking Salman Mirza for a six over deep midwicket and carving another delivery over point for four.
Kusal joined the charge with a straight six off Razaullah before delicately ramping a short ball over the slip cordon. The pair took Sri Lanka to 59-1 at the end of the powerplay, their best such return of the series, with Jayawardena contributing 30 off 18 balls and Kusal 24 off 16.
Jayawardena continued to find boundaries, pulling Imran over deep midwicket for six and driving over extra cover for four. But his entertaining 38 off 26 balls ended in the eighth over when he attempted to loft Arafat Minhas over the infield and picked out Razaullah at long-on, leaving Sri Lanka at 74-2.
The dismissal proved to be Pakistan’s last breakthrough. Kusal and Kamindu took control with a blend of calculated aggression and smart running, exploiting gaps in the field while capitalising on loose deliveries. Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to maintain their lines, while missed opportunities and lapses in execution allowed the required rate to fall steadily.
