Sri Lanka, which lost the opening game to Pakistan by 37 runs, shocked England in the last game in a 859-run thriller at Rawalpindi, where it completed the second-highest ever successful run chase in an ODI. Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 5th Tri-Series ODI Live Updates: Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and elected to field in a crucial cricket ODI tri-series match against host Pakistan. Pakistan made two changes and brought in Maaz Sadaqat in place of out-of-form opening batter Saim Ayub , who has been released from the squad. Sri Lanka retained the same playing XI which won its previous game. ( LIVE Scorecard )
Pakistan have already qualified for Saturday’s final with three successive wins, including an epic one-wicket victory against England on the back of Shadab Khan ‘s unbeaten century last Sunday. The stakes are high for Sri Lanka, which could eliminate England from the race for the final if it beats Pakistan. Fast bowler Naseem Shah recovered from finger injury and returned for Razaullah , who took two wickets in his debut ODI in the last game.
Here are the live score and updates from Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 5th Tri-Series ODI:
Wicket number 2 for Dilshan Madushanka and Pakistan lose their third wicket. Leg bye. No run, that is defended solidly off the front foot. Much fuller, outside leg, Salman Agha looks to flick but gets beaten on the inside edge and wears on the pad. The start gets even better for Sri Lanka. Salman Agha walks out to the middle. OUT! TAKEN! Fuller delivery in the channel outside off. Baig reaches away from his body, attempting to punch on the up. Undone by the movement and lack of control, he chips it directly toward short cover, where Janith Liyanage stays low to grab the catch just over the green turf. Beaten on the inside edge! Pitches it fuller, outside off, not much movement on this delivery. Saad Baig tries to punch it with hard hands away from his body, but it zips past the inside edge by a thin margin. FOUR! Easy pickings! Back of a length, tailing it down the leg side. Babar Azam just glances it away through fine leg for back-to-back boundaries. It’s just getting better and better for Azam. On the fuller side, just outside off. Babar Azam prods forward and drives it gloriously through the cover region for four runs. On a nagging length, outside off. Babar Azam dead-bats it down the deck. Good length, just outside off, Babar Azam blocks it to the off side. Just a shade behind the good length, outside off. Saad Baig hangs back and punches it into the gap at cover and collects three runs as two fielders give chase to haul it in. Saad Baig has copped a nasty blow, and the physio is out to have a look. After a bit of magic spray, Baig is ready to resume. Saad Baig takes a blow on his gloves! On a good length, around leg and middle. Saad Baig tries to flick it to square leg, but the ball takes off and hits him flush on the left glove. On a length, around off, Babar Azam dabs it to mid on. Short and punished! Bangs it hard onto the deck, over middle and leg. Babar Azam picks up the length pretty early and pulls it hard toward deep backward square leg for a boundary. Fullish, around off, Babar Azam drives it crisply but finds the short cover fielder. Back of a length, angling in, around middle. Babar Azam hops and tucks it to the left of deep fine leg for a brace. FOUR LEG BYES! Free runs for Pakistan! Back of a length, around the hips of the batter. Babar Azam fails to connect his flick, and it brushes off the batter’s thigh pad to fly past the left of the keeper for four runs. Beaten! Just a shade behind the good length, outside off, nipping away. Babar Azam tries to punch it away from his body, but it zips past the outside edge. Excellent shot from the batter, but it is hit straight to the fielder. Pitches it fuller, just outside off. Saad Baig plants his front foot, leans on it and drives it toward mid off.
