Pakistan whitewash Sri Lanka after Shinwari heroics

Captain Sarfraz believes team effort led to ninth consecutive win in ODIs

KARACHI: Pakistan on Monday whitewashed Sri Lanka courtesy a nine-wicket victory in the final ODI of the five-match series in Sharjah.

Pakistan were asked to chase a paltry total of 104 runs after Usman Khan Shinwari, playing just his second ODI, destroyed the Sri Lankan top-order with five wickets in his first 3.3 overs.

“The team environment is great, which helps us youngsters,” said man-of-the-match Shinwari.

Openers Fakhar Zaman (48) and Imamul Haq (45 not out) guided Pakistan with a 84-run partnership.

Fakhar was caught behind while trying a late cut off Jeffrey Vandersay just two short of his half-century.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Sri Lanka collapsed in 26.2 overs as Thisara Perera was the only player to show any resistance with a 25-run innings.

Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan bagged two wickets apiece for Pakistan.

This was Pakistan’s first-ever ODI whitewash in the UAE and their first against Sri Lanka. However, this was the sixth time Pakistan have won a series 5-0, with the last one coming nearly a decade ago against Bangladesh in 2008.

Pakistan bagged their ninth consecutive win in ODIs, following on from their successful Champions Trophy campaign.

“You feel ecstatic when a player (Shinwari) comes from the bench and performs so well,” said Sarfraz. “I can’t praise his bowling performance enough. He ended the match in his first four overs, and then Shadab and Hasan finished the job.”

Sarfraz though urged the batsmen to up the ante. “Everything is going right for the team, but I would like our batting to improve a little,” he said. “Credit for the series victory goes to the players, the team management which supports us well, the selection committee and everyone else involved with us.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka became the first-ever team to be whitewashed thrice in a year, with this 5-0 loss following defeats by similar scorelines to South Africa and India.

“We all know we are not playing to the best of our capabilities,” said Sri Lanka captain Tharanga. “We are very disappointed. We couldn’t handle the pressure. Usman bowled really well. We had no answer for him. They are always trying to get a wicket. We keep repeating our mistakes. We can do much better.”

Hasan Ali was awarded the man-of-the-series award for his bowling performances. “It feels good to be called the best in the world,” he said.

The 23-year-old revealed just why he excels in unfriendly bowling conditions such as the UAE. “All I do is work on my basics — my body language and my attitude — and I have a plan for the batsmen,” he said. “Conditions are tough for bowlers in the UAE, but I try as much as I can to take wickets.”

The series was also only the fourth time that no no-balls were bowled in a five-match series



PAK 105-1 (over 20.2)

Imamul Haq cuts past short third man to hand Pakistan a nine-wicket victory in fifth ODI.



PAK 100-1 (over 20)

Four runs from the over.

Prasanna.



PAK 96-1 (over 19)

FOUR! Late cut past short third man gives Imam a boundary.

Vandersay.



PAK 89-1 (over 18)

Four off the over.

Prasanna.



PAK 85-1 (over 17)

OUT! Fakhar Zaman (48) edges one to the keeper.

Vandersay.



PAK 82-0 (over 13-16)

Twenty more runs added in three overs without the loss of any wickets. Smoothest sail to the target for Pakistan in this series.



PAK 62-0 (over 12)

FOUR! Short and on leg and Fakhar gives it the treatment.

FOUR! Glanced towards fine leg by Fakhar.

Perera.



PAK 52-0 (over 11)

Vandersay. Only two off his over.



PAK 49-0 (over 10)

SIX! Imam goes over his head.

Thisara Perera.



PAK 41-0 (over 9)

FOUR! Late cut gives Fakhar a boundary past first slip.

Spin time. Vandersay on.



PAK 36-0 (over 8)

FOUR! Fakhar making sure the scoreboard keeps ticking.

Fernando again.



PAK 30-0 (over 7)

Five off the over.

Chameera.



PAK 25-0 (over 6)

FOUR! Openers picking up pace. Imam with one boundary too.

FOUR! Fakhar sneaks one through mid-off and covers.

Fernando.



PAK 16-0 (over 5)

Only one off the over.

Chameera.



PAK 15-0 (over 4)

FOUR! Over covers. Imam steps forward to the challenge, literally, to nullify seam.

Fernando.



PAK 9-0 (over 3)

Two from the over.

Fakhar faces Chameera.



PAK 7-0 (over 2)

Imamul Haq plays a maiden.

Fernando bowls with the new ball.



PAK 7-0 (over 1)

FOUR! Fakhar slaps it towards covers.

Imamul Haq and Fakhar Zaman open the paltry chase for Pakistan. Sri Lanka hand Chameera the ball to pull off a Shinwari-like miracle.



 

INNINGS BREAK



SL 103 all out (over 26.2)

BOWLED! Played on by Chameera. Pakistan, led by Shinwari, dominate Sri Lankan batting in the fifth ODI.

Hasan Ali.



SL 103-9 (over 26)

FOUR! Slapped past wide mid off by Fernando.

Shadab. Can he get the last Lankan out?



SL 99-9 (over 25)

Six from the over and he misses the chance again. Sri Lanka nearly past 100 runs.

Shinwari again, in search for his sixth wicket.



SL 93-9 (over 24)

Four off his over.

Shadab again.



SL 89-9 (over 23)

FOUR! Wild drive runs past point.

Usman called in to try and get his sixth.



SL 85-9 (over 22)

CAUGHT! Faheem Ashraf cups a skier from Perera (25).

Shadab in for his third.



SL 85-7 (over 21)

Hafeez bowls his first over. Only one from the over.



SL 84-7 (over 20)

FOUR! One bounce and over midwicket, Perera doing some damage.

SIX! Thisara Perera, Sri Lanka's only hope, goes big over long on. Fuller delivery treated well.

Shadab Khan.



SL 71-7 (over 11-19)

Pakistan bag two more wickets courtesy Hasan Ali and a run out by Shadab Khan. However, they have added a few runs to the tally too.



SL 39-5 (over 10)

Two from it.

Imad Wasim replaces Faheem Ashraf.



SL 37-5 (over 9)

Five overs, five wickets, only 24 runs from them.

FOUR! Driven past mid-off by Thirimanne.

Sarfraz wants more from Usman. Gives him the ball for a fifth over.



SL 31-5 (over 8)

Faheem Ashraf continues. Five runs off his over.



SL 26-5 (over 7)

He gets it! Caught at covers by Fakhar Zaman. Siriwardana (6) walks back. Five wickets in just 3.3 overs. Is this the quickest five-for? We'll find out soon!

Shinwari in to find his fifth wicket.



SL 20-4 (over 6)

FOUR! Driven through covers. Siriwardana with a perfectly timed stroke.

Faheem Ashraf.



SL 15-4 (over 5)

FOUR! Thirimanne drives one beautifully through covers.

Shinwari steams in again.



SL 9-4 (over 4)

Faheem Ashraf again. Only one run.



SL 8-4 (over 3)

LBW! Umpires says yes, Niroshan Dickwella reviews, and the ball hasn't caught an edge and is striking the leg stumps.

BOWLED! Shinwari seams one into captain Upul Tharanga.

Shinwari welcomed with a boundary.



SL 2-2 (over 2)

Faheem Ashraf goes for only one in his over.



SL 2-1 (over 1)

Make it two. Test captain Chandimal edges one to the keeper.

Usman Shinwari gives one and takes one in the opening over. Samarawickrama misses a straighter one angled in from his leg stump.





Toss

Sri Lanka opt to bat first.