Pakistan eye clean sweep against Sri Lanka

Farhan and Maaz lead hosts’ charge as visitors struggle to find form

KARACHI:

In-form Pakistan will be desperately looking to complete a clean sweep when they face Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

The match will start at 6pm PST.

Pakistan are in fine form, having won the first two matches convincingly. The hosts defeated the visitors by four wickets in the opening game before inflicting a comprehensive 82-run defeat on them in the second match on Sunday.

Pakistan have shown strength with both bat and ball, and the Green-shirts will be eager to maintain their momentum in the final game under captain Sahibzada Farhan, who has been in sublime touch.

Pakistan’s top order has performed well in both matches.

In the opening game, the middle order was tested, but a few unnecessary dismissals raised eyebrows as the hosts appeared well placed to chase down a target of 183. However, Pakistan completely outclassed Sri Lanka in the second match, restricting them to 133-7 while defending a formidable total of 216.

The 215-3 was Pakistan’s highest total at home and the second highest overall. The Green-shirts had amassed 232-6 against England in Nottingham on July 16, 2021, which is their record score.

Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat have been outstanding with the bat. The pair have built valuable partnerships for the second wicket in both matches and scored back-to-back half-centuries.

Farhan scored 89 and 73, while Maaz smashed 50 and 96, breathing new life into Pakistan’s top order.

Maaz, who also impressed in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), punished the Sri Lankan bowlers with aggressive stroke-play, making it difficult for them to contain him.

He played his natural game, and the freedom with which he batted reflected the confidence the team management has placed in the young Peshawar batsman.

Fakhar Zaman has been opening alongside Farhan. Although he has made promising starts, he has failed to bat deep into the innings. Known for his ability to score big, Fakhar has been unable to convert his starts into substantial scores. He will need to show greater application, which could further strengthen Pakistan’s batting line-up.

Hasan Nawaz performed well on Sunday, while it remains to be seen how Saim Ayub and Khawaja Nafay fare when given adequate opportunities. Khawaja scored the winning runs in Pakistan’s first T20I victory but has yet to be tested under significant pressure.

In the bowling department, Imran Randhawa has been particularly impressive. He consistently hits the right areas and has looked effective with the new ball. The all-rounder has taken five wickets in two matches, both of which were his T20I debut appearances.

“I bowled according to plan and achieved success,” Imran told reporters after Pakistan’s one-sided victory on Sunday.

Experienced leg-spinner Shadab Khan, however, has been unimpressive so far, raising questions about his role in the team.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s struggles in T20 cricket have continued.

After losing a T20I series 2-1 to the West Indies and suffering a 3-0 whitewash against England on recent away tours, Sri Lanka are now facing the prospect of a third consecutive series defeat.

Their batting has lacked firepower, while their bowling has struggled to contain Pakistan. Poor fielding has also contributed to their below-par performances, with dropped catches proving costly.

In the second match, Sri Lanka dropped Farhan when he was on 12, allowing the Pakistan captain to make the most of the reprieve.

Sri Lanka last toured Pakistan in October 2019 for a three-match T20I series, which they won 3-0.

This time, however, Pakistan appear poised to turn the tables.

Pakistan squad: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay (wicket-keeper), Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Moqim.