Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 2022 | SL v PAK News, Live Score, Updates, Squads & Results - CricTracker https://www.crictracker.com/tag/slvpak/ Latest Cricket News, Updates, Articles, Stats, Records, Etc Sun, 24 Jul 2022 13:01:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0.1 https://image.crictracker.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/apple-touch-icon-150x150.png Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 2022 | SL v PAK News, Live Score, Updates, Squads & Results - CricTracker https://www.crictracker.com/tag/slvpak/ 32 32 Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka batters put team in commanding position on day one https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-sri-lanka-batters-put-team-in-commanding-position-on-day-one/ Sun, 24 Jul 2022 13:01:13 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=674449 Dinesh Chandimal
Dinesh Chandimal. (Photo Source: Sri Lanka Cricket/Twitter)

The first day of the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan saw the hosts showcasing a spirited performance on an otherwise eventful day that saw them post well in excess of 300 runs on the board. While the Pakistani bowlers showed great enthusiasm in accounting for more than half of the Lankan side, they failed to contain their middle-order in the last half-an-hour of the day’s play.

Sri Lanka have wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella to thank as his vital knock ensured that the hosts did not suffer any further damage and he single-handedly took the attack on the Pakistani bowlers. Dickwella found good support in Dunith Wellalage (6*) who showed great determination in holding on to the other end firmly like a rock.

Sri Lanka dominate on the first day

Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and elected to bat first. The hosts got off to a good start with Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando adding 92 runs for the opening stand before the latter was dismissed for 50. Karunaratne scored 40 and looked to rebuild the innings along with Angelo Mathews before he was dismissed.

When Mathews was sent back for a well-made 42, Sri Lanka were in a spot of bother at 195/4 before the middle-order duo of Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva carried out the rescue act adding 63 runs for the fifth-wicket stand. Chandimal showcased yet another consistence performance scoring 80 runs off 137 balls and found good support in Dhananjaya who contributed with 33.

When the duo was dismissed, it opened up the floodgates for the visitors to make a comeback, but before they could rattle the rest of the batting lineup, Niroshan Dickwella challenged them and ensured that the Lankans lost no more wickets for the rest of the day. He and Dunith Wellalage made the Pakistani bowlers toil hard for wickets. While Dickwella played some smart cricket and also attacked when the situation demanded, Dunith showcased his defensive abilities by refusing to allow the bowlers to breach his defense. Sri Lanka’s scorecard read 315/6 at stumps with Niroshan Dickwella unbeaten on 42.

Here is how Twitter reacted to play on day one between Sri Lanka and Pakistan

]]> Pakistan team celebrates historic chase against Sri Lanka with a special cake https://www.crictracker.com/pakistan-team-celebrates-historic-chase-against-sri-lanka-with-a-special-cake/ Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:14:39 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=673293 Pakistan's celebration after win over Sri Lanka
Pakistan team celebration after win over Sri Lanka (Photo Source: Youtube/Pakistan cricket)

Test cricket has seen a lot of surprises in the last few months as fourth innings totals have been chased down by teams constantly. Recently, England won the rescheduled fifth Test against India with a record run chase in the fourth innings and prior to that, completed three brilliant run chases against New Zealand as well. Such has been the mode of approach from the batters in the current era that nothing seems impossible at the moment.

To add to the point, Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique put on a stellar show at the top of the order and his unbeaten 160 off 408 deliveries won the Test for the visitors against Sri Lanka. And, the team celebrated their fine victory with a special cake cutting session. Chasing 342 to win in the final innings always looked like a huge task with Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya picking up nine wickets in the Test.

However, an inspired effort from the Pakistan batting lineup, led by Azam who scored a century in the first innings and a half-century in the second innings, produced a record run chase at the venue. The 22-year-old Shafique has already won the hearts of Pakistani fans and looks promising for the future. No wonder, Pakistan decided to celebrate the victory with a special cake at Galle.

Here’s the video of the Pakistan team celebrating the victory

In the video, Azam and his teammates were all near a beach and the hero of the first Test, Shafique was encouraged to cut the cake by the team. Shafique was quite happy to share the slices with his mates while Hasan Ali also stepped in from the other side during the celebration. Skipper Azam looked quite delighted during the celebration and the victory is expected to be etched in the memories for a long time.

Pakistan have taken a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series and they will fancy their chances of winning the series with one more Test to go. The second Test starts on the 24th of July at the same venue, Galle International Stadium.

]]> ‘He is showing a lot of class’ – Babar Azam praises Abdullah Shafique for his match-winning innings https://www.crictracker.com/he-is-showing-a-lot-of-class-babar-azam-praises-abdullah-shafique-for-his-match-winning-innings/ Wed, 20 Jul 2022 14:55:49 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=672952 Abdullah Shafique
Abdullah Shafique. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan completed a sensational victory in the first Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle. The visitors registered the highest chase at the venue as Abdullah Shafique starred for Pakistan with a sensational batting display on a tricky surface. The Pakistani batter received praise from his skipper Babar Azam after the match, labeling his show classy

When Sri Lanka set a target of 342 on a challenging surface at Galle, they were the outright favourites to clinch the series opener with almost two days remaining in the match. But Test cricket has recently seen a trend of teams chasing relatively high scores in the fourth innings, and Pakistan contributed to that trend.

Shafique came to the fore for the visitors and remained unbeaten on 160, shouldering his team to an unprecedented victory. His 101-run stand with skipper Babar was crucial for the side as the pair frustrated the Sri Lankan bowlers with their impeccable technique against the spinners. The young skipper lavished praise on the batter along with young Naseem Shah, who showed tremendous grit in the first innings in a partnership of 70 runs for the tenth wicket with his captain.

“First innings we did well with the ball. I should thank the tailenders for the support they gave me, especially Naseem Shah. We know how to play spin, so we believed. I and Abdullah were just trying to build a partnership. As a youngster, he is showing a lot of class. It is really pleasing to see him perform well,” Babar said in the post-match press conference.

I enjoyed batting with him in the middle: Abdullah Shafique on his partnership with Babar

Meanwhile, the man of the moment, Shafique, revealed his experience in the middle and congratulated all his teammates. He also stated the threat the Sri Lankan spinners posed with the new ball, which was assisting them with extra bounce and sharp turn. Pakistan were in a spot of bother in the latter stages of the chase, but the youngster showed nerves of steel and guided the team to an impressive victory in the series opener.

“I am happy that we were able to chase. Congratulations to the entire team for this record chase. Our plan was simple, we had to go and get the runs. It wasn’t easy (to bat) but with time it was easier. Spinners with the new ball were slightly tough to play. Babar is one of the best in the world. We have learned so much from him. I enjoyed batting with him in the middle,” said the young batter.

]]> ‘Master craftsman’ – Twitter hails Babar Azam for his excellent century in Galle Test https://www.crictracker.com/master-craftsman-twitter-hails-babar-azam-for-his-excellent-century-in-galle-test/ Sun, 17 Jul 2022 11:03:15 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=671509 Babar Azam
Babar Azam. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam showed a great amount of determination as the one-man army of his side on the second day of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. While Sri Lanka were cleaning up the Pakistani tail, Babar held on firmly from the other end and counter-attacked the bowlers to ensure that the visitors did not fall short of their first innings deficit despite being so close.

Even tail-ender Naseem Shah gave good support to his captain as he did not allow the Sri Lankan bowlers to breach his defence and just kept on blocking and leaving the deliveries without even trying to get off the mark when on strike. The support proved to be instrumental in Babar completing his well-deserved 7th Test century and keeping Pakistan’s first innings hopes alive.

Babar Azam scores a fighting century

When Hasan Ali got out in the 60th over, Pakistan’s scorecard read 148/9 and they were still trailing by 74 runs with only Naseem Shah left. It was a daunting task for Babar Azam to take care of things. Nonetheless, the batting superstar accepted the challenge and tackled the Lankan bowlers with fearless intent.

He was a bit defensive initially but didn’t waste any scoring opportunities and kept the scoreboard ticket from thereon, once he reached 80. While he was on 90, Azam played an inside-out shot off Prabath Jayasuriya which fetched him four valuable runs. It was a risky shot that was well rewarded in the end.

The Pakistan captain took a single and remained unbeaten on 95 while heading into the tea break. It was indeed an eventful day for Babar Azam who shattered yet another unique record earlier in the day. He surpassed the batting megastar Virat Kohli to become the fastest Asian batter to score 10000 international runs. While it took Kohli 232 innings to achieve this feat, Babar got it done in just 228.

When play resumed post tea, an attacking field was placed for Babar Azam with spinner Maheesh Theekshana bowling. However, Azam was street smart on this occasion as he first smashed Theekshana between long on and deep mid-wicket for four runs before taking a single of the very next delivery to complete his century.

Here’s how Twitterati reacted to Babar Azam’s splendid ton:

]]> Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test Series Stats Preview: Players records and approaching milestones https://www.crictracker.com/sri-lanka-vs-pakistan-test-series-stats-preview-players-records-and-approaching-milestones/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:42:35 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=670453 Pakistan
Pakistan. (Photo Source: Twitter)

After a defeat in the first Test, Sri Lanka bounced back brilliantly to beat Australia in the second and the final match to draw the recently concluded series 1-1 on home soil. With the Aussies departing, itโ€™s now Pakistan that tours the Island nation for a two-match series beginning on July 16, 2022, at the Galle International Stadium in Galle. The remaining game will be played on July 24 at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Talking about the Australia clash, experienced batter Dinesh Chandimal, and debutant Prabath Jayasuriya stole the show with their respective performances. The former struck his maiden double century in Test cricket while spinner Jayasuriya took figures of 12/177 as the Lankan Lions clinched a victory by an innings and 39 runs over the team from down under. Chandimalโ€™s 206 off 326 turned out to be the best individual performance by a Sri Lankan against Australia in the Whites.

Talking about the visitors, their last Test assignment also came against the Kangaroos back in March this year. Pakistan lost that series by a 1-0 margin at home as the Australians secured a 115-run win in the third game after two drawn Tests. Amid the crisis in Sri Lanka, the two Asian teams are set to lock horns in an exciting series with an eye to moving higher up the World Test Championship (WTC) table. The hosts are placed in the third position with 52 points while Pakistan is in the fourth spot with 44 points.

Meanwhile, here are some of the important stats and numbers ahead of the Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan:

Head-to-Head: Sri Lanka and Pakistan have clashed against each other in 55 Tests so far with Sri Lanka winning on 16 occasions and Pakistan on 20. 19 games have been drawn between the two sides. In Sri Lanka, both have faced each other in 23 Tests with the hosts winning seven and Pakistan eight. Eight encounters have been drawn.

21 โ€“ Babar Azam (9979) needs 21 runs to complete the landmark of 10000 runs across formats.

1 โ€“ Babar (99) needs one six to reach 100 maximums in international cricket.

95 โ€“ Dimuth Karunaratne (5905) requires 95 runs to get to 6000 runs in Test cricket.

3 โ€“ Azhar Ali (847) is three fours away from completing 850 fours across formats.

2 โ€“ If Angelo Mathews plays both games, he will reach the landmark of 100 Test matches.

8 โ€“ Niroshan Dickwella (292) needs eight fours to get to 300 fours in Tests.

14 โ€“ Fawad Alam (986) is 14 runs short of reaching the milestone of 1000 Test runs.

15 โ€“ Babar (335) also requires 15 fours to reach 350 fours in Tests.

9 โ€“ Karunaratne (691) needs nine fours to complete 700 fours in international cricket.

1 โ€“ Sarfaraz Ahmed (49) is one game away from appearing in 50 Test matches.

133 โ€“ Mathews (6867) requires 133 runs to complete the milestone of 7000 Test runs.

149 โ€“ Babar (2851) is 149 runs away from completing the landmark of 3000 runs in Test cricket.

145 โ€“ Imam-ul-Haq (855) needs 145 runs to get to 1000 runs in the longest format of the game.

2 โ€“ Dinesh Chandimal (98) is two sixes short of reaching 100 maximums across formats.

5 โ€“ Shaheen Afridi (95) is five scalps away from completing 100 wickets in Test cricket.

107 โ€“ Mathews (6867) needs 107 runs to surpass Sanath Jayasuriya (6973) and become the third highest run-getter for Sri Lanka in Tests.

1 โ€“ Pathum Nissanka (49) is one game away from featuring in 50 matches in international cricket.

10 โ€“ Dickwella (540) is 10 fours away from reaching 550 fours across formats.

8 โ€“ Imam-ul-Haq (92) requires eight fours to get to 100 fours in Test cricket.

1 โ€“ Kusal Mendis (99) is one innings away from appearing in 100 Test innings.

8 โ€“ Imam-ul-Haq (292) also needs eight fours to complete 300 fours in international cricket.

]]> Sri Lanka announce 18-member squad for Test series against Pakistan https://www.crictracker.com/sri-lanka-announce-18-member-squad-for-test-series-against-pakistan/ Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:28:55 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=670225 Sri Lanka vs Australia
Sri Lanka team. (Photo Source: Sri Lanka Cricket/Twitter)

Sri Lanka has announced an 18-member squadย to play Pakistan in a two-match Test series beginning on July 16 in Galle. As compared to the squad that played against Australia in the recently concluded series at home, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lakshitha Manasinghe, and Chamika Karunaratne have been excluded.

Prabath Jayasuriya was the standout performer in Sri Lankaโ€™s victorious second Test match as the bowlers bagged two six-wicket hauls, one in both innings, on debut and earned his name back into the squad. He will certainly keep his spot in the starting lineup, while Dunith Wellalage, the uncapped player, has been kept in the squad despite not having played against Australia.

Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan last faced Australia in the Test format. Pakistanโ€™s efforts to restrict Australia from winning the first two matches were noteworthy, but they eventually lost the final game of the three-match series. The hosts, on the other hand, put up a remarkable performance in the second Test match after the visitors had taken a 1-0 lead.

Sri Lanka restricted the strong Australian team to a low score in the second innings of the game after posting a humungous total on board while batting. Thanks to Jayasuriyaโ€™s spell, the Australian batting order came crashing down and the host won the final game by an innings and 39 runs to level the series by 1-1.

The two tests will be played at Galle and Colombo in Sri Lanka

Speaking of the upcoming Test series, the island nation will host Pakistan at the Galle International Stadium in Galle for the first Test starting July 16. The second and final match will commence on July 24 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Before starting with the Test series, Pakistan played a warm-up game against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the Colts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. While Sri Lanka is placed third in the World Test Championship points table, Pakistan has taken the fourth spot.

SL Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay

]]> Pakistan name 18-member squad Sri Lanka Tests, Yasir Shah returns https://www.crictracker.com/pakistan-name-18-member-squad-sri-lanka-tests-yasir-shah-returns/ Wed, 22 Jun 2022 12:33:04 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=661759 Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Afridi. (Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan will be touring Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series next month. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the squad an 18-member squad for the series, featuring some young new faces along with the return of veteran spinner Yasir Shah who last played a Test match in August 2021.ย 

Babar Azam will lead the team as the series will be counted towards World Test Championship. The two Tests will be played at Galle International Cricket Stadium and R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium. Pakistan will also play in a three-day warm-up match before the first Test, commencing on July 16. Pakistan last played a Test series in Sri Lanka in 2015, when they defeated the hosts 2-1. Pakistani Chief selector Muhammad Wasim will be hoping for similar efforts by his players this time around.

โ€œWe have selected this squad considering the conditions in Sri Lanka and have equipped the team with the best possible resources. โ€œThese two matches are extremely crucial for our side as we have World Test Championship points at stake. I wish our boys all the best. and I am sure they will make us proud,โ€ Wasimย  said in a PCB statement.ย 

“Salman Ali Agha has shown consistent performances with the bat in the past three seasons, and he is a handy off-spin option,” Wasim added.

Agha has been in brilliant form in the domestic circuit and will be looking to learn some nuances from veteran leg spinner Yasir Shah. The youngster who bats in the lower middle order is pretty handy with his off-spinners as well and can be a valuable asset for the Pakistan team.

“Our team has recently put strong performances in Bangladesh and although results against Australia were not ideal we displayed solid cricket and for that reason we have retained the core to instill consistency and continuity and have trimmed the squad size following the relaxation in Covid-19-induced travel restrictions.

“These two matches are extremely crucial for our side as we have World Test Championship points at stake. I wish our boys all the best and I am sure they will make us proud,” Wasim added.

Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka Tests:ย Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah

]]> Pakistan to tour Sri Lanka for just two Tests, ODIs removed on SLC’s request https://www.crictracker.com/pakistan-to-tour-sri-lanka-for-just-two-tests-odis-removed-on-slcs-request/ Mon, 09 May 2022 07:31:01 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=641365 Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Afridi. (Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan will be touring Sri Lanka in the month of July-August just for the two Tests as the three-match ODI series has been cancelled as per requests from the Sri Lanka cricket board. While the Test series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23, the ODIs weren’t included in the ICC World Cup Super League. A lot has been happening in Sri Lanka in recent times in terms of their economic and political issues and it has played a part in the series getting cancelled.

As there have been power shortage in the country, hosting day-night games is going to be difficult moving forward. Also, Cricket Australia has been looking into the situation in Sri Lanka as their national team is scheduled to tour the Island nation for two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is later this year. It will also be followed by the Asia Cup and Sri Lanka will have to come up with backup plans to maintain its international schedule.

Sri Lankan board wants to start their league a week before: PCB director

Pakistan Cricket Board media director noted Sri Lanka board requested to cancel the ODIs so that they can schedule the Lanka Premier League a week in advance which will be a boost amid the financial crisis. He added that the final schedule of the Pakistan tour to Sri Lanka will be updated soon. Due to the current situation in Sri Lanka, the board has also decided on the UAE as the backup venue for the Lanka Premier League.

“Sri Lankan board wants to start their league a week ago to reduce the financial deficit, so they asked us to remove the ODI series, which was accepted,” PCB Director Media Sami-ul-Hasan Burney said as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

“Since the ODIs were not part of the World Cup Super League, we did not object. The final schedule of the series is still being discussed and will be released soon,” he added.

]]> Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka slightly ahead in Karachi Test despite Shaheen Afridi’s maiden five-fer https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-sri-lanka-slightly-ahead-in-karachi-test-despite-shaheen-afridis-maiden-five-fer/ Fri, 20 Dec 2019 12:48:05 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=382594 Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shah Afridi. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Attritional cricket continued on the second day of the ongoing Karachi Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The visitors batted well to keep the Azhar Ali-led side on the field for long and took a crucial 80-run which could prove decisive in the end. Pakistan, however, to their credit played well in their second essay as their openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali went back unscathed.

The duo got an uncomfortable passage to see off in the final session with the light deteriorating and they did well. Rather, Abid Ali was enterprising in his shot selection and treated the crowd with some crisp strokes yet again. The hosts ended the day 57/0 after playing out 14 overs in their second innings. They still trail by 33 runs and have a tough job on their hands to give a stiff challenge to Sri Lanka in the fourth innings.

Chandimal and Perera defy Pakistan

Earlier, Sri Lanka began the day at 64/3 with the nightwatchman Lasith Embuldeniya and Angelo Mathews starting the proceedings. But Mohammad Abbas got the better of the former and even the veteran Mathews was soon sent back which left the tourists reeling at 80/5. Dinesh Chandimal, at this stage, was new to the crease and was literally struggling to get off the mark.

However, he fought gamely during that phase and didn’t give his wicket. Dhananjaya de Silva supported him well as the duo added 67 runs for the sixth wicket and then Niroshan Dickwella also hung around to stitch a 37-run stand. Though the most important partnership of the match came between Chandimal and Dilruwan Perera. The latter stayed put patiently even as his partner crossed the 50-run mark and looked confident to score big.

They added 51 runs for the eighth wicket to earn a lead and just when things were looking down and out for Pakistan, Haris Sohail struck gold picking Chandimal’s wicket. The former Sri Lanka skipper scored 74 runs with 10 fours to put his team in the ascendancy. Having said that, this was not the end for the visitors. Perera continued to fight in the middle and along with Vishwa Fernando, frustrated the home side.

However, when the new ball arrived, Shaheen Afridi cleaned up the tail to bundle Sri Lanka out for 271 runs in the 86th over of the innings. The left-arm pacer also registered his maiden five-wicket haul to return with the figures of 5/77. Abbas assisted him well picking up four wickets for just 55 runs.

Pakistan will have to bat really well on the third day now to give themselves a chance to win the series and add 60 Championship points as well. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, would be ruing not picking up a wicket and should come all guns blazing at the hosts.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

]]> Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka register their first ever series win over Pakistan in T20Is https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-sri-lanka-register-their-first-ever-series-win-over-pakistan-in-t20is/ Tue, 08 Oct 2019 04:56:37 +0000 https://www.crictracker.com/?p=361008 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka. (Photo by ARIF ALI/AFP via Getty Images)

Sri Lanka have clinched a historic series win in Pakistan, winning the second T20I in Lahore by a convincing margin. After registering a thumping win in the first game, Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 77 off 48 balls helped Sri Lanka post a total that was beyond Pakistan’s reach in the run chase.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Lankans lost the openers early in the game courtesy some brilliant new-ball bowling from Imad Wasim. Avishka Fernando ran himself out in bizarre circumstances before Shehan Jayasuriya and Bhanuka Rajapaksa stitched a brilliant partnership for the third wicket.

They played some delightful strokes to keep the scoring rate on the higher side and ensured they were in a dominant position going into the final five overs. Rajapaksa completed his first half-century in international cricket as the partnership between these two accounted for 94 runs. Both batsmen fell in a span of five deliveries, putting the side under some trouble.

Dasun Shanaka though had his composure intact, which allowed Sri Lanka to get a decent finish. They registered 182 runs on the board losing six wickets. It wasn’t a great bowling effort from Pakistan, apart from Imad Wasim’s 1/27 spell with the new ball.

Nuwan Pradeep delivers another strong performance

After a fantastic performance in the opening game, Nuwan Pradeep once again was the chief architect of Pakistani top order’s falling-out. After Kasun Rajitha dismissed Fakhar Zaman, Pradeep got the big fish in Babar Azam. Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfaraz Ahmed tried to get a partnership going, but couldn’t pull up more than 40 runs together.

Wanindu Hasaranga had an action-packed 8th over, where he removed Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal and Sarfaraz Ahmed in a span of four deliveries. At 52/5, Pakistan’s morale was down and it seemed like they would go down easily once again. But Asif Ali and Imad Wasim put up a fight with a brilliant counter-attack.

The duo added 75 runs, where Imad Wasim nearly completed his half-century. But he fell three runs short and Pradeep was the man providing a crucial breakthrough. After the partnership was broken, it was one-way traffic as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 20 runs. Pradeep returned with figures of 4/25 as Sri Lanka won the game by 35 runs.

Here how Twitter reacted to Sri Lanka’s stunning victory:

]]>