PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lanka opted to bat first after winning the toss for the first time in the ongoing tour and were restricted to 256-9 even after a 90-run knock from Lahiru Thirimanne.
Muhammad Irfan bagged three wicket for the visitors.
In their reply, Pakistan never looked in trouble and went on to chase the target with 55 balls remaining.
Ahmed Shehzad scored 95 off 90 balls courtesy 12 boundaries and a six to bolster Pakistan's chances while Muhammad Hafeez played a useful 70-run knock off 88 balls.
And this is how Shoaib Malik played the winning shot!
Azhar Ali: You cannot control the toss, but it is the team who has to fight at the time, whatever you are doing you have to do it perfectly. Getting early wicket was good. They had a good partnership, we kept waiting for another wicket. We planned to do things rightly. All bowlers should be praised. They kept coming at batsmen and fielding came to the party as well. Youngsters are putting in everything, they dive around in practice as well. As a batsman you feel you can get bowlers under pressure with the field up, I went out but got out. I think every game is very important for us especially in the situation of Champions Trophy. This series is our Eid gift for Pakistan.
Man of the match Ahmed Shehzad: Alhamdulillah. I was hitting the ball well in the previous matches but couldn't capitalise. God has been kind. I got dropped from last series, coaching staff has helped me. Waqar and Flower worked hard with me. Its a team effort. Every one is pushing themselves. We produced good fielding, credits goes to think tank that they are pushing us. I wish everyone luck. We really want to do well in the upcoming matches. Azhar is in good form, the way he is hitting the ball is good. We played positive cricket, played selfishly and we got results. Its not nervous (being in nineties) but its luck. It was disappointing, but we should thank God with whatever we have.
Angelo Mathews: It wasn't enough. We kept losing wickets, 256 was not enough. It was pressure. Guys wanted to go out and play their shots. The change in rules are not favorable, you have to capitalise in the 30th to 40th over. There was no penetration in our bowling. Malinga was bowling well, I thought we must go for another wicket. He created chances we didn't take. We got nothing to lose now, play positive cricket and look for the positives.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also announced their T20 squad.
Teams
Pakistan: Azhar Ali*, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed†, Anwar Ali, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Tilakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews*, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal†, Siriwardana, Sachith Pathirana, Ashan Priyanjan, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal
Pakistan 257-3 (40.5 overs)
SIX and Malik has given Pakistan the series in style.
Pakistan 250-3 (40 overs)
FOUR followed by a gigantic SIX. Sarfraz and Malik enjoying to finish the game.
Pathirana faces the wrath of Safraz and Shoaib.
Pakistan 235-3 (39 overs)
SIX! Malik you beauty. What a way to end the over. An inch short and pulled over midwicket.
Siriwardana to bowl his fifth over.
Pakistan 224-3 (38 overs)
SIX! Its a bird, its a plane, no its the ball fired from the bat of Shoaib Malik over the long-off boundary.
Pathirana.
Pakistan 216-3 (37 overs)
OUT! Commentator's jinx. Hafeez departs for 70. Twice it popped in the keeper's hands and third time lucky he grabbed it as Hafeez gave the bowler a charge. Slip stares, keeper bags. Shoaib Malik is the new man in.
Siriwardana in.
Pakistan 213-2 (36 overs)
FOUR! Hafeez picking up where Shehzad left. The attack is on! Pakistan are not going down easily today!
Suranga Lakmal is in for another beating, oh I meant over.
Pakistan 204-2 (35 overs)
Just two off it.
Pathirana into his eighth over.
Pakistan 203-2 (34 overs)
FOUR! Hafeez pulls one from the off towards the midwicket boundary.
Suranga Lakmal in for his seventh over.
Pakistan 195-2 (33 overs)
Three runs off his eighth over.
Pathirana brought back.
Pakistan 192-2 (32 overs)
OUT! Ahmed Shehzad (95) is caught at third man. Kusal Perera runs in, dives forward and takes a blinder. Sarfraz Ahmed has walked in for Pakistan to join Hafeez.
Suranga Lakmal.
Pakistan 189-1 (31 overs)
Shehzad is on 95, Hafeez is on 53.
Just three off the over.
Siriwardana on.
Pakistan 186-1 (30 overs)
Shehzad is on 95, Hafeez is on 52.
Hafeez completes his half-century off 65 balls.
Nuwan Pradeep back in the attack. Mathews tries to work his mind into the match now.
Pakistan 183-1 (29 overs)
SIX! Hafeez ends the over with a big shot. Over the sightscreen into the crowd. Splendid batting by Pakistan. It has been ages watching them chase with such ease.
Pathirana AGAIN. Mathews has run out of bowlers or he has given up on this match.
Pakistan 174-1 (28 overs)
FOURx2! Shehzad sweeps and then goes for the long-off boundary.
Dilshan on.
Pakistan 162-1 (27 overs)
FOUR! Ahmed Shehzad goes towards midwicket.
Pathirana, yet again.
Pakistan 152-1 (26 overs)
Five runs off his over.
Dilshan in for second. He has taken a beating as well in his first over.
Pakistan 147-1 (25 overs)
Just two runs off his over this time.
Pathirana continues despite being hammered. Four overs and 35 runs courtesy five FOURS and one SIX by Pakistani batsmen.
Pakistan 145-1 (24 overs)
FOUR! Hafeez joins the party.
FOUR! Shehzad with a boundary this time. Pakistan making it look as easy as it can be.
Tilakaratne Dilshan brought in to find a wicket and stop the flow of runs.
Pakistan 132-1 (23 overs)
FOUR! Another dance down the pitch by Hafeez to find the long-on boundary.
FOUR! Hafeez goes hard and over towards extra cover. This time Hafeez has taken him on.
Pathirana.
Pakistan 124-1 (22 overs)
FOUR! Hafeez cuts it over midwicket.
Milinda Siriwardana is brought on to bowl to make a difference.
Pakistan 119-1 (21 overs)
Goes for three in the over. Lucky, Shehzad didn't take him on this time.
Sachith Pathirana is back in the attack.
Pakistan 116-1 (20 overs)
FOURx2! So the maiden overs are being reprimanded by Shehzad. He goes towards midwicket and then checks his shot at the last moment to miss the short midwicket fielder and clear the boundary.
Malinga bowls his ninth over. Never expected him to finish so early but Mathews knows the importance of another wicket here.
Pakistan 107-1 (19 overs)
FOUR! Hafeez goes onto the front foot for an exquisite drive through covers. Hundred up for Pakistan!
Lakmal again. Last three overs have yielded only two runs.
Pakistan 96-1 (18 overs)
Malinga follows up with another maiden.
Pakistan 96-1 (17 overs)
Suranga Lakmal gives away two runs in his over.
Pakistan 96-1 (16 overs)
Malinga bowls a maiden.
Pakistan 96-1 (15 overs)
Four runs off the over.
Suranga Lakmal.
Pakistan 92-1 (14 overs)
FOUR! Edged and the ball runs down to third man boundary. And Mathews places a slip there. Oh wait! Shehzad again edges the ball, this time a short one, and the slip fielder couldn't bag it. FOUR again. The fielder went late into the catch. Such misery! FIFTY up for Ahmed Shehzad as well.
Malinga again.
Pakistan 81-1 (13 overs)
Just two off his over.
Mathews has got the danger man Azhar and he is in to bowl his third over. Can he find another wicket here? Meanwhile, Hafeez and Shehzad will be thinking of a partnership, that too a long one.
Pakistan 79-1 (12 overs)
FOUR! Muhammad Hafeez ends the over with a boundary to ease the nerves.
OUT! Azhar Ali (33) tries to go over the in-field by walking down and slashing hard but finds the fielder at deep third man.
Malinga with seven men inside the circle.
Pakistan 75-0 (11 overs)
Mathews goes for six runs in his over courtesy a short-ball and a on-leg wide.
Pakistan 69-0 (10 overs)
Just two off the over by Lasith Maling as he comes back into the attack..
Pakistan 67-0 (9 overs)
Just two off the over.
Angleo Mathews takes matters and the ball in his own hands.
Pakistan 65-0 (8 overs)
FOURx3! Shehzad takes him on again. The message is clear from Pakistan. We are not shying away!
Pathirana again.
Pakistan 52-0 (7 overs)
Nuwan Pradeep goes for five in his over.
Pakistan 47-0 (6 overs)
SIX! Shehzad walks down and hit it over the mid-on fielder for a clear maximum. Welcome Pathirana!
First bowling change. Sachith Pathirana is brought on.
Pakistan 36-0 (5 overs)
Just a single off the over.
Malinga in for his third over. Angelo Mathews believes in him, can he deliver?
Pakistan 35-0 (4 overs)
FOUR! Edged and the ball runs quickly to the third man boundary. Azhar is enjoying his batting here.
FOUR! Azhar plants his front foot and goes straight down the ground past the mid-on fielder.
Suranga Lakmal.
Pakistan 25-0 (3 overs)
FOUR! Wide on off and Shehzad goes with the drive.
FOUR! Short and Azhar Ali guides it fine on the leg.
Maling again. Will he be able to transfer the batting energy into his bowling today?
Pakistan 11-0 (2 overs)
FOUR! Azhar Ali manages a boundary off the last ball.
Suranga Lakmal is going to join Malinga as they defend 256.
Pakistan 5-0 (1 over)
Just five runs to start the over.
Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad take guard for Pakistan as Lasith Malinga has been given the ball for the very first over.
Sri Lanka 256-9 (50 overs)
Two byes off the last ball.
FREE HIT and Irfan rattles the stumps for no use.
Over waist line from Irfan and it is a no-ball. Sri Lanka steal a single.
Full and wide outside off again and Pradeep misses it.
OUT! Rizwan doesn't drop this dolly. Malinga caught at mid-off on 17 off 13 balls. Nuwan Pradeep walks in.
Another delivery on off, this time full and missed again.
Full-toss and Malinga misses it. Looks at the leg umpire and he says its legal.
Muhammad Irfan in for the last over.
Sri Lanka 252-8 (49 overs)
SIX! Some one stop Malinga. Short and he goes big, gigantic over midwicket.
RUN OUT! Trying to steal a quick single and Pathirana is caught short of his crease due to a direct throw from the bowler.
Anwar Ali for the penultimate over.
Sri Lanka 243-7 (48 overs)
Suddenly Malinga is showing some Gayle-like hitting prowess? Two consecutive FOURS! What is happening out there? Two overs remain and the game has changed.
WIDE! Azhar Ali reviews the decision and the interestingly the ball seems to take an edge of the bat but Rod Tucker says it not out.
DROPPED! Short ball, edged by Malinga and Rizwan was easily placed under it but the ball just bounced out of his hands. You need to keep them soft Rizwan.
Muhammad Irfan in for the third last over.
Sri Lanka 231-7 (47 overs)
Anwar Ali again. And Anwar Ali again with a wicket. Priyanjan caught at mid-off by Muhammad Hafeez.
Sri Lanka 227-6 (46 overs)
Meanwhile, Pathirana hit Yasir for a FOUR.
The score 222-6 reminds me of the song 'Two two two two meri ri ri ri'.
Yasir Shah in for his last over.
Sri Lanka 219-6 (45 overs)
OUT! Magnificent catch at point and who else can it be? Super Riz-wan. Siriwardana caught on 19.
Anwar Ali in for the death overs.
Sri Lanka 212-5 (44 overs)
Gives away only six runs in the over.
Yasir Shah in for his ninth.
Sri Lanka 206-5 (43 overs)
SIX! Siriwardana AGAIN. Pulls a short, slow ball towards deep midwicket.
FOUR! Siriwardana again. Irfan tries to boot it but is unsuccessful.
Rahat Ali is brought back into the attack.
Sri Lanka 193-5 (42 overs)
FOUR! Siriwardana walks in and and after only two balls goes after Yasir. Over mid-off.
Yasir Shah is back for his eighth over. AND HE STRIKES! Lahiru Thirmanne caught by Shehzad as he sweeps on 90.
Sri Lanka 186-4 (41 overs)
Five runs off the over. Lahiru Thirmanne moves into nervous 90s.
Imad Wasim.
Sri Lanka 181-4 (40 overs)
Three runs off the over
OUT OR NOT? Ahmed Shahzad claims to have caught a rather difficult catch. He seems pretty confident of his heroic effort. However, the review proves otherwise. Play resumes after that potential hiccup for Sri Lanka. Shahzad returns to his spot.
Yasir Shah has the ball
Sri Lanka 178-4 (39 overs)
Four runs off the over
Imad Wasim gets the ball
Sri Lanka 174-4 (38 overs)
Just three runs off the over. Priyanjan is going after every ball that he is facing. He has been sent in with a message, to romp the bowlers and score as fast as possible.
Irfan in for his second over of this spell. He has given 34 runs in seven overs for his two wickets.
Sri Lanka 171-4 (37 overs)
Just a single off the over.
Imad Wasim again.
Sri Lanka 170-4 (36 overs)
OUT! Yasir Shah takes a skier of Chandimal. Irfan strikes for Pakistan. Ashan Priyanjan is in.
FOUR! Irfan comes round the wicket, bangs it slightly short and Chandimal swings it towards the square leg boundary.
Another bowling change. Yasir replaced by Muhammad Irfan.
Sri Lanka 162-3 (35 overs)
Three runs off his over.
Rahat out, Imad Wasim in for another spell of spin. Can he strike for Pakistan here?
Sri Lanka 159-3 (34 overs)
Yasir Shah goes for five runs in his sixth over. He hasn't been hit for a boundary, yet. Azhar has been utilising this young leggie effectively.
Sri Lanka 154-3 (33 overs)
Six runs off his over.
Rahat Ali bowls his sixth over.
Sri Lanka 148-3 (32 overs)
Four runs off his over.
Yasir Shah is back in the attack as soon as the wicket fell. Good attacking tactics from Azhar Ali.
Sri Lanka 144-3 (31 overs)
Two runs off the over
Chandimal is the new man in
OUT! Angelo Mathews tries to hit it past Yasir at mid-off but he secures it in his hands. Dinesh Chadimal walks in for Sri Lanka.
Rahat Ali brought in
Sri Lanka 142-2 (30 overs)
Nine off the over
Malik back with the bowl, as Sania Mirza looks on
Sri Lanka 133-2 (29 overs)
Five runs conceded in the over
Imad Wasim with the ball
Sri Lanka 128-2 (28 overs)
Four runs off his over
Malik gets the ball again
Sri Lanka 124-2 (27 overs)
Two runs off Wasim's over
Ball is rotated back to Imad Wasim
Sri Lanka 122-2 (26 overs)
Just two runs off the over
Rameez Raja, "Another impressive over by Shoaib!"
Malik comes to bowl
Sri Lanka 120-2 (25 overs)
Eight runs off the over
FOUR! Thirimane hits a boundary ,releasing a bit of the pressure that was building up
Imad Wasim has the ball again
Sri Lanka 112-2 (24 overs)
One run off the over
Shoaib Malik gets the ball
Sri Lanka 111-2 (23 overs)
Five runs off the over
Mathews is the new man on the crease.
OUT! Imad strikes! Sneaks the ball past Dilshan, straight at the stumps.
Dilshan walks off the pitch, looking gutted.
Imad Wasim has the ball
Sri Lanka 106-1 (22 overs)
Dilshan makes his 44th ODI fifty
Five runs off the over
Irfan comes back again
Sri Lanka 101-1 (21 overs)
Four runs off the over
Imad Wasim has the ball now
Sri Lanka 97-1 (20 overs)
The bowler concedes four runs in the over
Irfan comes back on the attack
Sri Lanka 93-1 (19 overs)
Just four runs off his first over.
So Imad Wasim has the ball now. He inspired with his two scalps in the third ODI, can he repeat some of that success?
Sri Lanka 89-1 (18 overs)
Five runs off the Yasir Shah over. Sri Lanka haven't been able to deal any boundaries against the leggie in his first four overs.
Sri Lanka 84-1 (17 overs)
FOUR! Thirmanne goes over the mid-off fielder's head. Pitched up by Azhar and given the right treatment.
Azhar Ali into his second over. Is he following Angleo Mathews? Leading from the front with the ball.
Sri Lanka 75-1 (16 overs)
Three runs off the Yasir over.
Yasir Shah bowls his third over. Sri Lank are moving forward and trying their best not to lose any wickets.
Sri Lanka 72-1 (15 overs)
Four runs off the over
Azhar Ali, the captain, decided to ball
Sri Lanka 68-1 (14 overs)
Four runs off the over
Yasir Shah is called back
Sri Lanka 64-1 (13 overs)
Six runs off the over
FOUR! Thirimane hits a cut shot towards the boundary
Anwar Ali has been given the ball
Sri Lanka 58-1 (12 overs)
Five runs off this over
Yasir Shah is now introduced
Sri Lanka 53-1 (11 overs)
Five runs off the over
50 run partnership between Dilshan and Thirimanne.
Anwar Ali comes back
Sri Lanka 48-1 (10 overs)
This marks the end of the power play
Two runs off the over
Ball is back to Rahat
Sri Lanka 46-1 (9 overs)
Just gives two runs in the over
Anwar Ali takes the ball
Sri Lanka 44-1 (8 overs)
Six runs off this over
And Rahat comes back again
Sri Lanka 38-1 (7 overs)
Three runs off the over
Mohammad Irfan is called back.
Sri Lanka 35-1 (6 overs)
Six runs off the over
Rahat Ali has been given the ball again
Sri Lanka 29-1 (5 overs)
FOUR! Dilshan strikes the ball past the mid-off fielder
Irfan comes back.
Sri Lanka 22-1 (4 overs)
FOUR! Thirimane dissects the cover fielders.
Rahat Ali has now got the ball, looks like Azhar Ali is attacking with quick bowling changes.
Sri Lanka 16-1 (3 overs)
FOUR! Thirimanne punishes the ball by Irfan.
Irfan is back.
Sri Lanka 11-1 (2 overs)
FOUR! Dilshan with an exquisite drive towards extra cover
FOUR! Dilshan drives past the mid-on fielder
Anwar Ali to share the new ball with Irfan.
Sri Lanka 2-1 (1 over)
OUT! Mohammad Irfan strikes early and sends Perera back to the pavilion.
TossSri Lanka won the toss and have chosen to bat.
Pakistan 124-1 (22 overs)
FOUR! Hafeez cuts it over midwicket.
Milinda Siriwardana is brought on to bowl to make a difference.
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