Sri Lanka delivered a dominant performance in 5th ODI to defeat Pakistan and secure their place in the tri-series final. After setting up the victory with an outstanding bowling display, the Lankans completed the chase of 110 with ease. Meanwhile, Pakistan endured another disappointing outing with the bat.
Pakistan entered the contest hoping to address their ongoing struggles at the top of the order. However, those concerns resurfaced as they lost three wickets during the Powerplay. The early setbacks put them on the back foot, and the batting unit failed to recover.
Moreover, none of the Pakistani batters managed to build a meaningful innings or offer sustained resistance. Sri Lanka kept the pressure on and picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Dilshan Madushanka starred with a career-best haul of 5/34. The other bowlers also played their part, while sharp fielding helped Sri Lanka maintain complete control. As a result, Pakistan collapsed for just 110 runs.
Pakistan needed an exceptional effort to defend such a modest total. However, their hopes suffered an early blow when Saad Baig dropped Kamindu Mendis in the opening over.
Sri Lanka took full advantage of reprieve in the 5th ODI of tri-series against Pakistan. The Pakistani pacers struggled to maintain their lines and lengths, allowing the batters to score freely. Meanwhile, Kamindu attacked the loose deliveries and quickly eased any pressure on the chasing side.
He went on to score his first half-century of the tour and remained unbeaten until the end. His composed knock not only helped Sri Lanka finish the chase comfortably but also gave him valuable momentum ahead of the final.
The convincing victory confirmed Sri Lanka’s place in the final and set up an all-Asian title clash. England, meanwhile, will have to settle for playing their final match for pride.
Sri Lanka showed their strength with the bat in their previous game, when they chased down a record target against England. This time, their bowlers took centre stage and laid the foundation for another comprehensive win.
For Pakistan, the defeat in 5th ODI from Sri Lanka highlighted the inconsistency that has troubled them throughout this tri-series. They had shown tremendous character in a previous match to pull off a remarkable comeback. However, they failed to produce a similar fight this time around.
With the final approaching, Sri Lanka will take plenty of confidence from this all-round display. Pakistan, on the other hand, will need to address their batting concerns and find greater consistency in their performances.
