Pak vs SL: Pakistan all out for 110 as Sri Lanka win by 8 wickets and knock England out

Pakistan went into Tuesday’s game already through to the final. They came out of it bowled out for 110, their second-lowest ODI total at home, after Sri Lanka won by eight wickets at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The result knocked England out of the tri-series and set up a Pakistan vs Sri Lanka final on Saturday, October 31.

In our preview yesterday, the question was whether Sri Lanka could win to reach the final. They did it with more than 30 overs to spare.

How did Pakistan collapse?

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and bowled first, and left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka did the rest, taking a career-best 5 for 34. Pakistan were all out in 25.3 overs.

• Fakhar Zaman (5), Maaz Sadaqat (8, lbw to Asitha Fernando) and Saad Baig (5) were gone with 46 on the board.
• Salman Agha (9), Babar Azam (29) and Shadab Khan (2) then fell inside three overs, leaving Pakistan 64 for 6.
• Babar was lbw to Eshan Malinga after Pakistan had already wasted a review, Yahoo Sports reported. Shadab, who made an unbeaten 113 against England on Sunday, gloved a sweep off Sahan Arachchige and lasted five balls.
• Hasan Nawaz (17) and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (15) added a little at the end.

Four of the top five were out for single figures. Only one Pakistan ODI total at home is lower: 75 all out, also against Sri Lanka, in Lahore in 2009.

Kamindu Mendis finishes it fast

The chase was over in 18.1 overs. Kamindu Mendis made an unbeaten 62 off 60 balls with eight fours and two sixes, Sky Sports reported. He had some luck: he was dropped by the wicketkeeper before scoring and overturned an lbw decision on review on 44. Pavan Rathnayake (23 not out) stayed with him for an unbroken 52-run stand, and Sri Lanka reached 114 for 2.

What Shaheen and Kusal Mendis said

Shaheen didn’t hide from it. “Unfortunately, for the last three or four games we are collapsing at the top order,” he said, adding that Pakistan would “come back in the final and bat stronger”. Kusal Mendis kept it short: “We bowled really well in the powerplay.”

Should Pakistan worry before the final?

The table says no: Pakistan finished the league stage with three wins and six points. The pattern says yes. Shaheen’s own words point to the problem, the top order, and this was the second time in the series Pakistan were in early trouble, with Shadab’s century on Sunday covering for it then.

Sri Lanka also arrive with form. Earlier in this series they chased 430 against England in Rawalpindi, the second-highest successful chase in ODI history. Madushanka’s new-ball swing on Tuesday will be the first thing Pakistan’s openers have to solve on Saturday.

What’s next?

England play Sri Lanka in Lahore on Thursday, October 29, a dead rubber now that England have lost all three of their matches. The final is on Saturday, October 31, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.