Mohsin Ali
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will look to maintain their unbeaten run when they face Sri Lanka in the fifth match of the ODI tri-series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Tuesday, October 27.
The hosts have so far played three matches in the tournament, two against England and one against Sri Lanka, and have won all of them. Pakistan have already secured a place in the final, which will also be staged at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, October 31.
In their earlier meeting with Sri Lanka in the tri-series, Pakistan recorded a 37-run victory. Salman Ali Agha was the standout performer with the bat, scoring 107 off 90 balls with nine fours and a six. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi led the bowling effort by taking three wickets.
Shaheen has claimed seven wickets in three matches in the ongoing tournament. The left-arm pacer also became the fastest Pakistan fast bowler to reach 150 ODI wickets when he dismissed Tom Banton in the first over of Sunday’s match against England.
At Gaddafi Stadium, Shaheen has taken 20 wickets in seven ODIs, including two four-wicket hauls. He needs four more wickets to go past former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram’s record of 23 wickets in 18 ODIs at the venue and become the leading ODI wicket-taker at the ground.
Tuesday’s match will be the 162nd ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In the previous 161 matches, Pakistan have won 97, while Sri Lanka have won 59. One match ended in a tie and four finished without a result.
Pakistan will enter the match after a dramatic one-wicket win over England on Sunday evening. Shadab Khan produced his maiden ODI century, finishing unbeaten on 113 off 96 balls with 13 fours and five sixes.
Shadab added an unbroken record 89 runs for the 10th wicket with Haris Rauf, who remained not out on seven off 19 balls with one four, to take Pakistan to a memorable victory.
After the match, Shadab and Haris spoke to PCB Digital about their match-winning stand and the belief that carried Pakistan through.
“There was obviously a lot of pressure, but we kept encouraging each other and tried to keep the atmosphere light,” Shadab said. “As a senior player, the backing and confidence of the team management and selectors mean a great deal. I am grateful that they continued to believe in me and I was able to repay that faith.”
Haris said he had belief from the outset that Pakistan could win the match.
“I kept telling Shadab to have faith and remain confident. Towards the end, I told him that I would finish the match myself and thankfully, we were able to get Pakistan over the line,” he said.
“We managed to secure a memorable win for Pakistan. Winning such a closely contested match is a special feeling and we are delighted to have brought happiness to the people of Pakistan.”
Updated Pakistan squad for tri-series:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Sahibzada Farhan and Shadab Khan.
