Pakistan Triumphs in T20 Tri-Series Final
Pakistan emerged victorious in the Twenty20 tri-series final on Saturday, defeating Sri Lanka by a comfortable six-wicket margin. The match witnessed a dramatic collapse of the Sri Lankan batting lineup, setting up an achievable target that Pakistan chased down with ease.
Sri Lanka's Batting Collapse
Sri Lanka's innings began promisingly as they reached 81-1 at the halfway mark, appearing set for a competitive total. However, what followed was nothing short of catastrophic for the island nation. They lost their final eight wickets for just 16 runs, eventually getting bowled out for 114 in 19.1 overs.
Kamil Mishara was the standout performer for Sri Lanka, scoring 59 runs off 47 balls and reaching his fifty in just 37 deliveries. He formed a solid 64-run partnership with Kusal Mendis, who contributed 14 runs. The innings began to unravel when Babar Azam took an impressive catch at long-off to dismiss Mendis off Mohammad Nawaz's bowling in the 11th over.
The collapse intensified when Mishara fell to another spectacular catch by Babar. Pakistan's spin attack proved devastating, with Mohammad Nawaz taking 3-17, Abrar Ahmed claiming 2-18, and Saim Ayub picking up 1-17. Nawaz finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets.
Pakistan's Controlled Chase
In response, Pakistan approached the chase methodically, reaching 118-4 with eight balls remaining. The opening pair provided a solid foundation, with Saim Ayub contributing 36 runs and Sahibzada Farhan adding 23 runs.
The chase saw some aggressive batting, particularly when Ayub attacked Maheesh Theekshana in the powerplay, hitting three boundaries in one over. Farhan followed with aggressive batting against Wanindu Hasaranga. Despite Rathnayake dismissing Salman Ali Agha and Fakhar Zaman in consecutive overs, Babar Azam remained unbeaten with 37 runs off 34 balls, maintaining his composure and securing the win with a boundary.
Post-Match Reactions
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, stating: "It was a great performance from us. We have been doing well in both ODIs and T20Is … we are pretty much ready for the World Cup. We still have six games before the World Cup to try out things if we want but we are pretty much clear on our 15 players."
Mohammad Nawaz, who was instrumental in Sri Lanka's collapse, shared his approach: "It is important to deliver when the team requires you. I plan with the coaches and try to keep it simple because, as a finger-spinner, you don't have many options so I try to read the game and bowl accordingly."
The victory provides Pakistan with significant momentum as they prepare for upcoming international commitments, particularly the T20 World Cup, while Sri Lanka will need to address their batting vulnerabilities in the shorter format of the game.
