PAK vs SL, 5th Match · Scorecard

Batter	R	B	4s	6s	SR
Fakhar Zamanc Pavan Rathnayake b Dilshan Madushanka	5	13	1	0	38.5
Maaz Sadaqatlbw b Asitha Fernando	8	11	1	0	72.7
Babar Azamlbw b Eshan Malinga	29	33	5	0	87.9
Saad Baigc Janith Liyanage b Dilshan Madushanka	5	8	0	0	62.5
Salman Aghac Kusal Mendis b Sahan Arachchige	9	14	1	0	64.3
Hasan Nawazc Sahan Arachchige b Dunith Wellalage	17	31	0	1	54.8
Shadab Khanc Kusal Mendis b Sahan Arachchige	2	5	0	0	40.0
Arafat Minhasc Kusal Mendis b Dilshan Madushanka	10	18	1	0	55.6
Shaheen Afridic Dunith Wellalage b Dilshan Madushanka	15	13	0	2	115.4
Haris Raufc Kamindu Mendis b Dilshan Madushanka	1	2	0	0	50.0
Naseem Shah*not out	2	5	0	0	40.0

Bowler · SL	O	M	R	W	WD	ECO
Asitha Fernando	6	0	34	1	1	5.67
Dilshan Madushanka	8.3	1	34	5	0	4.00
Sahan Arachchige	5	0	24	2	0	4.80
Eshan Malinga	4	1	8	1	0	2.00
Dunith Wellalage	2	0	4	1	0	2.00

Well, that was a stroll in the park for Sri Lanka! They have handed the previously unbeaten Pakistan a thumping defeat and a timely wake-up call. The finalists are now confirmed. There is still one league game to go, with Sri Lanka taking on England on Thursday, but that will have no bearing on the final standings. All eyes are now on Saturday’s finale, where Sri Lanka and Pakistan will lock horns once again. But that’s all from us for tonight! Until next time, goodbye and take care, everyone!
Kusal Mendis | Sri Lanka captain: [Happy with how the bowling group executed their plans?] Yeah, of course. The guys bowled really well in the powerplay and after the powerplay also. They had a plan coming into this match, and the execution was very good. Everybody is very happy, and the fast bowling coach is also very happy. [On Dilshan Madushanka] Dilshan bowled really well in the powerplay. In some areas we have to improve still, but everybody - Asitha and Malinga did a really good job. Very happy (with) today's bowling. [Will the next game against England help you prepare for the final?] Definitely. We have to play (with) normal intensity. Maybe a couple of changes in the next match. Then we have to try (other) players before the World Cup. We have (only) a couple of matches. We come to the next match, and we try to win. [How are you trying to get rid of the bad luck following you around in the batting?] Yeah, today also unlucky, and I hope in the next game I will score runs.
Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan captain: Unfortunately, for the last three or four games, we are collapsing in the top-order. Our middle-order had a great tournament so far, but unfortunately, today was not their day. But I’m still proud of this team. We had those three games wins and then today has happened in the game. We should forget that and moving forward, we just focus on the final. [On addressing the top-order batters’ difficulties against short-pitched deliveries] Yeah, we have three days, so hopefully we practise on that, and in the final we come and we bat stronger. [On any tweaks for the final] This game, we need to forget quickly. And then, moving forward, the positives from the last three games, we should take that, and then moving forward for the final, we should be ready.
Dilshan Madushanka | Player of the Match (Translated to English): [On registering his best ODI figures] Actually, I’m very happy. I worked really hard in practice to achieve this, and I’m very happy that I was able to get these figures today. [On bowling short to Pakistan batters] We had a plan and followed it. Because of that, as a team, we were able to bowl them out for a low score. I’m very happy.
17:10 Local Time, 12:10 GMT, 17:40 IST: Sri Lanka have booked their place in the final, and they have done it in emphatic fashion! Pakistan, thoroughly outplayed today, will have a chance to hit back when the two sides meet again in the finale on Saturday. But today belonged entirely to Sri Lanka, who were at their absolute best. If their batters stole the show in that remarkable 430-run chase against England, Sri Lanka’s bowlers took centre stage today. They tore through Pakistan’s batting line-up to dismiss them for a mere 110 in 25.3 overs, with Dilshan Madushanka leading the charge with a career-best 5/34, while the rest of the attack chipped in with wickets of their own. Pakistan’s top-order woes continued, and this time, there was no rescue act from the middle or lower order. The run chase was never going to be a problem, but Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis will rue their missed opportunities to get some runs. Kamindu Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake, however, had no trouble getting the runs, stitching together an unbeaten 52-run stand to take Sri Lanka over the line in just 18.1 overs. Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten walks out with a big smile on his face as the players shake hands. Stick around for the post-match stuff..

Over 19 · 4 runs (4)

18.14Maaz Sadaqat to Pavan Rathnayake, FOUR, Pakistan have been blown away, and Sri Lanka have their reward - a place in the final, where they will face the same opponents once again. England’s fate is sealed too, with their last league game on Thursday now nothing more than a dead rubber. The man in form, Pavan Rathnayake, hammers the final nail in the coffin! Gifted a short and wide delivery, he rocks back and smashes it to sweeper cover for a boundary. Sri Lanka have chased it down with nearly 32 overs to spare

Maaz Sadaqat, Left arm orthodox, comes into the attack

End of over 18 · 4 runs (0 1 1 1 0 wd 0)SL 110/2Kamindu Mendis 62(60) · Pavan Rathnayake 19(25) · Naseem Shah 4-0-29-0

17.6•Naseem Shah to Kamindu Mendis, no run, looks like an off-cutter outside off, it's on the fuller side and Kamindu Mendis fails to get any bat to it
17.6wdNaseem Shah to Kamindu Mendis, wide, this is high and wide outside off, and Mendis lets it go. The umpire signals wide, and the scores are now level
17.5•Naseem Shah to Kamindu Mendis, no run, short and rushes the left-hander, who is late on the hook and ends up edging it onto the thigh pad
17.41Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, Pavan Rathnayake drives this low full toss along the carpet to sweeper cover and SL are now just two runs away
17.31Naseem Shah to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run, fullish on the off stump, Kamindu Mendis gets low and blocks it to point with soft hands
17.21Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, short of a length and Pavan Rathnayake tucks it to deep backward square leg for a single
17.1•Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, full and tailing into the stumps, Rathnayake goes deep in the crease and drills it to mid-on. Wait a second, Pakistan have gone for the review! They still have two reviews left, so why not?! Not sure why, though, as the replays show it came straight off the bat, with no contact with the pads

End of over 17 · 8 runs (4 3 1 0 0 0)SL 106/2Kamindu Mendis 61(57) · Pavan Rathnayake 17(22) · Arafat Minhas 5-0-23-1

16.6•Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, no run, tossed up and Kamindu Mendis eases into it as the ball rolls to the same fielder at mid-wicket
16.5•Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, no run, Kamindu Mendis leans forward and nudges it to mid-wicket
16.4•Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, no run, stays on the back foot and defends this length delivery into the off side
16.31Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, some width on offer and Pavan Rathnayake plays it square of the wicket for a single
16.23Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, 3 runs, tries the same shot once again, but the left-arm spinner slows it up and bowls it full down the leg. There's not enough pace on it to reach the boundary, but the batters come back for three
16.14Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR, only nine more needed, and Mendis brings out some innovation! Almost a left-handed Dilscoop, as he shuffles across and scoops it over the keeper's head for a boundary

Time for drinks, and Sri Lanka are just 13 runs away from confirming their place in the final. They have all the time in the world, but this shouldn't take more than a couple of overs.

End of over 16 · 4 runs (2 0 0 0 2 0)SL 98/2Pavan Rathnayake 16(21) · Kamindu Mendis 54(52) · Naseem Shah 3-0-25-0

15.6•Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, fullish on the stumps, Pavan Rathnayake times the drive but straight to the fielder at mid-off
15.52Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, 2 runs, almost a replica of the first delivery of this over, Pavan Rathnayake allows the length ball to come to him and punches it to the right of sweeper cover for a brace
15.4•Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, stays on the back foot and offers a solid block to this length delivery
15.3•Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, fullish at 136kph and driven straight to the fielder at mid-off
15.2•Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, a bit of tail in and also stays a tad low on the stumps, Pavan Rathnayake is ready and blocks it firmly to cover
15.12Naseem Shah to Pavan Rathnayake, 2 runs, 135.7kph on length around off, Pavan Rathnayake punches it to deep extra cover and has enough time to come back for two

Naseem Shah [2.0-0-21-0] is back into the attack
Just 17 needed now, and both batters are calmly going about their business.

End of over 15 · 4 runs (0 1 1 1 0 1)SL 94/2Pavan Rathnayake 12(15) · Kamindu Mendis 54(52) · Arafat Minhas 4-0-15-1

14.61Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, deflects this to square leg and will retain the strike with a single
14.5•Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, in-drifter on the middle and leg, Pavan Rathnayake blocks it to silly mid-off
14.41Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run, works it towards mid-wicket, and the non-striker is a couple of steps into the run. The fielder has a shy at the stumps, but Rathnayake makes it back in, and the overthrow allows them to take an extra run
14.31Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, rocks back, allows the ball to turn and tucks it to the left of mid-wicket for a single
14.21Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run, down the wicket once again, and he probably gets it off the toe end of the bat as the ball rolls away to sweeper cover
14.1•Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, no run, shimmies down the track and defends it back to the bowler

End of over 14 · 6 runs (1 0 0 1 4 0)SL 90/2Pavan Rathnayake 10(12) · Kamindu Mendis 52(49) · Shaheen Afridi 6-0-29-1

13.6•Shaheen Afridi to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, another short delivery from round the wicket, and this time Pavan Rathnayake drops his bat and lets it go
13.54Shaheen Afridi to Pavan Rathnayake, FOUR, short of a length, but no shortage of authority! The left-arm seamer bangs it in short, and Pavan Rathnayake stands tall, opens up and hammers the pull to deep mid-wicket for a boundary
13.41Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run, steers it to third man and collects an easy single
13.3•Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, no run, was that a chance? A tough one! It was a full toss, and the left-hander chipped it back towards Shaheen, who got low and stuck out his left hand in the hope of pouching it, but the ball didn't stick
13.2•Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, no run, yorker length with some inward movement, Kamindu Mendis squeezes it back to the bowler
13.11Shaheen Afridi to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, length delivery angling across, Pavan Rathnayake opens the bat face and sends it square of the wicket for a single

End of over 13 · 3 runs (1 1 0 1 0 0)SL 84/2Kamindu Mendis 51(46) · Pavan Rathnayake 5(9) · Arafat Minhas 3-0-11-1

12.6•Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, no run, tossed up and Kamindu Mendis eases it back to Arafat Minhas
12.5•Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, no run, moves across and blocks this length delivery into the off side
12.41Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, just opens the face of the bat and steers it to backward point for a single
12.3•Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, no run, makes room and taps this flat delivery to cover
12.21Arafat Minhas to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run, works this to long-on and gets to the other end
12.11Arafat Minhas to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, length delivery on the stumps, Pavan Rathnayake sweeps it to deep mid-wicket

End of over 12 · 8 runs (1 0 wd 0 0 6 0)SL 81/2Kamindu Mendis 50(43) · Pavan Rathnayake 3(6) · Shaheen Afridi 5-0-23-1

Habib: "This is the reality of the Pakistan cricket team. We can expect the same story in the 2027 World Cup. The previous two victories were probably exceptions rather than signs of consistent improvement. Pakistan needs consistency, not occasional flashes of brilliance."
11.6•Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, no run, fullish and Kamindu Mendis keeps it out
11.56Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, SIX, oh, has the fielder stepped on the boundary cushion while taking the catch? Yes, he has! That’s a six, and Mendis brings up his fifty in dramatic fashion, raising his bat to acknowledge the milestone. It's a well-directed bouncer, and Mendis goes for the hook, but is not in complete control. The ball sails towards the deep backward square leg boundary, where the fielder gets underneath it and takes the catch with both hands, but ends up stepping on the boundary cushion with his back foot
11.4•Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, no run, that was sliding down leg, wasn’t it? Oh, the umpire has raised his finger, and the batter will surely review it. It was very full on the pads, tailing in from over the wicket, and Mendis missed the clip. The replays show nothing on UltraEdge. Impact is in line, but the ball was always missing leg. A poor call from the umpire, but this is why we have the DRS
That was sliding down leg, wasn’t it? Oh, the umpire has raised his finger, and the batter will surely review it.
11.3•Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, no run, fullish and tailing in with the angle off the length, Kamindu Mendis hammers the drive straight to the fielder at cover
11.3wdShaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, wide, looks like a slower bumper, but it’s down the leg side and the umpire signals wide
11.2•Shaheen Afridi to Kamindu Mendis, no run, wants to work this to the on side but gets a leading edge that rolls into the off side
11.11Shaheen Afridi to Pavan Rathnayake, 1 run, short and angling across, Pavan Rathnayake stands tall and times it square of the wicket for a single

Venue guide

RUNS PER OVER

SCORE BY OVER

Final overs

Venue guide

RUNS PER OVER

SCORE BY OVER

Final overs

Venue guide

RUNS PER OVER

SCORE BY OVER

Final overs

PAKPakistan110 (25.3 ov)

SLSri Lanka114/2 (18.1 ov)

Venue guide

RUNS PER OVER

SCORE BY OVER

Final overs

PAKPakistan110 (25.3 ov)

SLSri Lanka114/2 (18.1 ov)