Skipper Mendis hit a 48-ball 87 with four sixes and nine boundaries as Sri Lanka chased down the 169-run target in 17.1 overs for a consolation win at Pindi Stadium. Pakistan won the series 2-1 with four-wicket and 82-run wins in the first two encounters, also in Rawalpindi. Pakistan, sent in to bat, were lifted to 168-8 by in-form skipper Sahibzada Farhan who scored a 47-ball 76 that included three sixes and seven boundaries.
Kusal Mendis knocked a solid half century and medium pacer Dasun Shanaka grabbed three wickets as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third and final Twenty20 international on Tuesday.
Earlier, Pakistan for the first time in the series found the going tough, losing opener Fakhar Zaman (12) and Maaz Sadaqat (nought) off successive deliveries with the score at 34. Hasan Nawaz (16) and Abdul Samad (15) helped Farhan push the score but it was in the final five overs that Pakistan accelerated by adding 59.
“We didn’t bowl well in the first two games but today our bowling was disciplined and we kept them to a gettable total,” said Mendis. “We batted well in the first two games but this 168-run total was not enough so we have to analyse this for future games,” said Farhan. Farhan blamed lack of runs in the final match.
