Rawalpindi, 16 November 2025: Pakistan’s pacers returned combined figures of 7-146 including player of the match Mohammad Wasim Jnr’s 3-47 as the hosts restricted Sri Lanka to 211 all out in 45 overs, which was later hunted down with 32 balls to spare and six wickets in hand in the third ODIat the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening.
Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman aced the chase with vital half-centuries with both registering their 19th ODI half-century in the format as Pakistan completed third ODI series sweep over Sri Lanka ever and second successive ODI series win in the last two weeks after Shaheen Shah Afridi took over.
Afterr opting to field first, Pakistan were met with an attacking start from the Sri Lanka opening batters as they raced to 55 in the first eight overs before Haris Rauf (9-1-38-2) dismissed Pathum Nissanka (24, 27b, 4x4s).
Nissanka’s partner Kamil Mishara (29, 30b, 5x4s) lost his wicket in the 12th over to Wasim Jnr. Stand-in skipper Kusal Mendis (34, 54b, 3x4s) and Sadeera Samarawickrama then knitted a 43-run third-wicket partnership which was broken by Wasim Jnr in the 25th over.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram picked up his first wicket of two scalps in the next over, dismissing Kamindu Mendis caught and bowled for a nine-ball 10.
Janith Liyange (4) was then cleaned up by Faheem Ashraf in the 31st over, before Faisal returned to p remove Samarawickrama for a gritty 65-ball 48 as the scoreboard read 166-6 after 35.2 overs.
Pacers Wasim Jnr, Rauf and Shaheen cleaned up the no. 8, 9 and 10, while debutant Pavan Rathanayake chipped in with a 37-ball 32 including two boundaries and a solitary six and was the last batter dismissed run-out as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 211 in 45.2 overs.
After losing an early wicket in pursuit of the 212-run target, opening batter Fakhar and Babar Azam knitted a 74-run alliance for the second wicket in 68 deliveries. Fakhar was dismissed after scoring a quick-fire 55 off 45 deliveries comprising eight fours.
Babar lost his wicket after scoring 34 off 52 in the 21st over as the scoreboard read 101-3.
After losing Salman Ali Agha (6) in the 25th over, Rizwan (61 not out, 92b, 4x4s) and Hussain Talat (42 not out, 57b, 1x4) then put together an unbeaten 100-run partnership to see their team home in 44.4 overs.
For the tourists, Jeffrey Vandersay returned figures of 3-42 in 10 overs.
PCB
