Tag: Pakistan tri-series

RAWALPINDI: A composed all-round performance powered Pakistan to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final of the T20I tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Chasing a modest target of 115, Pakistan completed the task in 18.4 overs despite a brief middle-order delay.

Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan provided a steady base with a 46-run partnership. Farhan looked fluent during his stay before falling for 23 off 22 balls, while Saim continued to anchor the chase.

Babar Azam joined Saim and ensured Pakistan crossed the 50-run mark safely. Saim eventually departed for 36 off 33 deliveries, but by then, Pakistan had full control.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha added 14 runs before a minor wobble saw two quick wickets fall late in the innings.

However, Babar held firm till the end, remaining unbeaten on 37 off 34 balls to guide Pakistan home with over eight balls to spare.

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Earlier, Sri Lanka struggled to build momentum after being put into bat. Their top order was jolted early when opener Pathum Nissanka (11) fell cheaply.

A lone resistance came through Kamil Mishara, who registered his third T20I half-century with a fluent 59, but lacked support at the other end as wickets fell regularly.

Once Mishara was dismissed, Sri Lanka’s innings fell apart dramatically. The visitors lost their final five wickets for just 10 runs, collapsing for 114 in 19.1 overs after looking set for a slightly more competitive total at one stage.

Pakistan’s bowling attack delivered with discipline and intent, led by Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz, who claimed three wickets each.

Abrar Ahmed chipped in with two crucial breakthroughs to seal the contest firmly in Pakistan’s favour.

READ: Tri-Series Final: Pakistan, Sri Lanka to observe silence for cyclone victims

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan and Sri Lanka will observe a minute of silence before the start of the T20I tri-series final today at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in memory of those who lost their lives in the devastating floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

The gesture comes as Sri Lanka continues to reel from extreme weather conditions that have triggered widespread destruction across several regions.

According to Sri Lanka’s disaster authorities, at least 123 people have lost their lives so far, while 130 others remain missing.

Relief operations are currently underway, with nearly 44,000 affected residents shifted to government-run welfare centres after their homes were damaged or washed away.

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Both teams will stand together in remembrance just moments before the high-stakes final of the ongoing tri-series, which also featured Zimbabwe.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka booked their places in the title clash through contrasting campaigns in the group stage.

Pakistan suffered only one defeat in four matches, a loss that came against Sri Lanka, while that lone victory was enough for Sri Lanka to secure qualification for the final.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, claimed a single win in the tournament, which came against Sri Lanka.

READ: Star England fast bowler set to miss second Ashes Test: report

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha has backed his side to shine in the T20I tri-series final against Sri Lanka.

Speaking on the eve of the final, Salman highlighted Pakistan’s performances in the past months and shed light on yesterday’s defeat against Sri Lanka.

“We are playing really good cricket throughout the tri-series, [in fact] we are playing good cricket for the past three months,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we could not finish yesterday’s game, but how we made a comeback after being four down in the power play is commendable,” Agha said while hailing the fight-back

He also mentioned the batting collapses, noting that every player is stepping up for the team, which has helped them form partnerships.

“We discuss in every meeting about batting collapses, and it’s all about taking responsibility; every individual is taking responsibility.

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Due to this, our collapses are not frequent and are not as consistent as we had in the past,” he continued.

Salman Ali Agha expressed confidence in his side and stated that they will play in the same manner as they played in the past two months at home.

“We will play the brand of cricket that we have been playing for the past two months, and I think we have to play that cricket because it is working for us.

Every final is important, and the upcoming fixtures are preparation for the T20 World Cup,” the skipper concluded.

The final will be played tomorrow at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Squads

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Hassan Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), and Usman Tariq.

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Asitha Fernando, Pavan Rathnayake, and Eshan Malinga.

READ: WATCH: Agha, Shanaka pose with Trophy ahead of tri-series final

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha and Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka posed with the Trophy ahead of the T20I tri-series final.

The video shoot was seen on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) social media handles, with both captains sharing their views in a candid conversation.

“Pre-final trophy shoot with the captains, featuring a musical twist,” the post-caption read.

For the unversed, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sealed the final spot in contrasting fashion: the former lost one of three games, while Sri Lanka clinched a thriller against the Green Shirts in their do-or-die encounter to qualify for the final.

 

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Set a strong 185-run target, Pakistan wobbled early in the chase, courtesy of Dushmanta Chameera’s outstanding opening spell.

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However, Salman Ali Agha and Usman Khan arrested the slide and built a 56-run stand. Usman’s blitz (33 off 23) took the score to 99 in 12.2 overs before another crucial 70-run stand between Agha and Mohammad Nawaz lifted the home side’s hopes.

Nonetheless, the equation went down to 10 from the final over, with Chameera having the ball in his hands.

The pacer bowled a superb over under pressure and gave only three, including the wicket of Faheem Ashraf, while Salman, who took a single on the second ball of the over, looked diminished at the other end.

The final will be played tomorrow at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Squads

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Hassan Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), and Usman Tariq.

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Asitha Fernando, Pavan Rathnayake, and Eshan Malinga.

READ: Babar Azam eyes long-awaited World Cup glory for Pakistan

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha lamented powerplay wickets after the loss against Sri Lanka in the sixth match of the T20I tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Set a strong 185-run target, Pakistan wobbled early in the chase, courtesy of Dushmanta Chameera’s outstanding opening spell.

However, Salman Ali Agha and Usman Khan arrested the slide and built a 56-run stand. Usman’s blitz (33 off 23) took the score to 99 in 12.2 overs before another crucial 70-run stand between Agha and Mohammad Nawaz lifted the home side’s hopes.

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Nonetheless, the equation went down to 10 from the final over, with Chameera having the ball in his hands.

The pacer bowled a superb over under pressure and gave only three, including the wicket of Faheem Ashraf, while Salman, who took a single on the second ball of the over, looked diminished at the other end.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here

Speaking after the match, Salman highlighted the shortcomings and rued wickets upfront as the main reason behind the loss.

“Where we came from, 40 for 4 – you don’t often come back and chase it down, but we went (close),” he said.

“I think it was gettable with the dew coming in, but we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and gave away too many runs in the powerplay,” Agha explained.

He mentioned his own form, noting that he would have liked to finish the game. The right-handed batter top-scored with 63* from 44, striking three sixes and four boundaries.

“If you give too many runs in the powerplay, you’ll always be chasing the game. (On personal form) I would have been happier if I had finished the game, but it was good to spend some time out in the middle,” Agha concluded.

The final of the T20I tri-series will be played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Saturday, 29 November at the same venue.

READ: Babar Azam equals Umar Akmal’s unwanted T20I record

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam has equalled the unwanted record of Umar Akmal in T20I cricket during the tri-series match against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Babar was trapped by Dushmanta Chameera’s length delivery, which sharply nipped back after pitching and struck his back knee, sending him back to the pavilion for a second-ball duck.

His duck saw him equal with Umar Akmal and Saim Ayub on Pakistan’s unwanted T20I ducks leaderboard.

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With this, Babar now has 10 ducks in 135 T20I matches and is now placed with Umar Akmal and Saim Ayub in third position.

Most Ducks for Pakistan in T20Is

• Umar Akmal – 10 ducks in 84 matches
• Saim Ayub – 10 ducks in 55* matches
• Babar Azam – 10 ducks in 135* matches
• Shahid Afridi – 8 ducks in 98 matches
• Kamran Akmal – 7 ducks in 58 matches
• Mohammad Hafeez – 7 ducks in 119 matchesAt the time of filing this story, Pakistan were reeling at 44-4 in six overs while chasing a mammoth 185-run target.Earlier, opening batter Kamil Mishara’s 76 off 48 propelled Sri Lanka to a strong total in a must-win T20I tri-series encounter.

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READ: Head admits ‘fear’ after swashbuckling century in Ashes opener

RAWALPINDI: Dushmanta Chameera bowled a dream spell and held his nerve in the final over to propel his side into the T20I tri-series final after securing a six-run victory over Pakistan here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

With this victory, Zimbabwe crashed out of the series after winning only one of three games.

Set a stiff 185, Pakistan fell short in the final over, scoring 178-7 at the end of their innings.

It was Chameera who tormented Pakistan’s top order with three wickets upfront and gave only three. As a result, Pakistan were 43-4 in 5.2 overs.

The right-arm pacer first removed Sahibzada Farhan, who was caught on nine, followed by Babar Azam’s wicket in the same over, who was sent packing for a duck.

From the other end, Eshan Malinga castled Saim Ayub, who was looking good. The left-hander made 27 off 18 with the aid of four boundaries and a six.

It was a cherry on top for the Islanders when Chameera dismissed Fakhar Zaman for one, leaving the home side tottering.

However, Salman Ali Agha and Usman Khan arrested the slide and built a 56-run stand. The duo batted at a brisk rate, particularly Usman, who took Wanindu Hasaranga to the cleaners and belted him for a couple of sixes before getting caught.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here

Usman’s blitz (33 off 23) took the score to 99 in 12.2 overs before another crucial 70-run stand between Agha and Mohammad Nawaz lifted the home side’s hopes.

The pair managed to bring down the required rate with Salman Ali Agha scoring a half-century in the process.

Eventually, the equation went down to 10 from the final over, with Chameera having the ball in his hands.

The pacer bowled a superb over under pressure and gave only three, including the wicket of Faheem Ashraf, while Salman, who took a single on the second ball of the over, looked diminished at the other end.

Salman top-scored with 63* from 44, striking three sixes and four boundaries.

Chameera finished with four wickets to his name in four overs, whereas Eshan Malinga, who gave 54, also managed to scalp two wickets.

The final of the T20I tri-series will be played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Saturday, 29 November at the same venue.

Earlier, opening batter Kamil Mishara’s 76 off 48 propelled Sri Lanka to a strong total in a must-win T20I tri-series encounter.

Put into bat first, Sri Lanka put on 184-4 on the board in their allotted 20 overs.

After losing Pathum Nissanka (8) only in the second over, Kamil Mishara and Kusal Mendis stitched a 66-run partnership, bringing the score to 82 in 8.1 overs.

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Mendis departed after scoring 40 from just 23 balls, laced with six fours and a maximum.

The duo batted with freedom and capitalized on the fielding restrictions in the opening six overs. Consequently, the Islanders were cruising on 58 at the end of the power play.

Mishara, meanwhile, continued on despite the removal of Kusal Perara, who made six from eight deliveries. At this stage, the scorecard read 96-3 in 10.4 overs.

However, incoming Janith Liyanage partnered with Mishara and put on a 57-run stand, which laid a foundation for a strong finish.

But it was Abrar Ahmed’s clinical bowling spell that put the brakes on the visitors’ charge and restricted them from reaching the 200-run mark, which was looking possible at one stage of the innings.

Abrar also took the crucial wicket of Mishara, who was caught after hitting three sixes and six fours. Janith Liyanage hit an unbeaten 24 off 24 with the aid of two boundaries.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed picked up two wickets in his quota of four overs while giving away only 28.

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the sixth fixture of the T20I tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

HEAD TO HEAD

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other in 25 T20I matches, with the Green Shirts having a slight edge with 15 victories, while the Islanders have secured 10 wins.

Matches 25, Pakistan 15, Sri Lanka 10

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

Pakistan have already booked its spot in the final of the tri-series and is undefeated with three wins out of three games.

On the contrary, Sri Lanka heads into a must-win encounter to seal a berth in the final, having won just one of their three games.

They have suffered a thumping defeat against Pakistan in their previous encounter and have also won one game against Zimbabwe.

READ: Gavaskar wants ‘post-mortem’ after India’s whitewash

DUBAI: Pakistan opening batter Saim Ayub has slipped from the top spot in the latest ICC T20I all-rounder rankings on Wednesday, following a string of underwhelming performances in the ongoing tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Ayub, whose primary role is with the bat, managed just 55 runs in three innings at an average of 18.33 and a strike rate of 105.76.

His contributions with the ball were equally limited, picking up only a single wicket from six overs. As a result, he has fallen to second place in the T20I all-rounder standings with 269 rating points.

The top spot is now held by Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, who has impressed across both disciplines in the tri-series.

Raza has scored 141 runs in four innings at an average of 47.00 and a strike rate of 136.89, while also picking up three wickets at an average of 36.00.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

His consistent performances have propelled him to 289 rating points, with West Indies’ Roston Chase occupying third place.

Notably, Raza is the second-highest run-scorer in the tri-series behind Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan.

Farhan has also made headlines in the latest ICC T20I rankings, climbing into the top five of the batting chart thanks to his stellar form.

The Pakistan opener has amassed 159 runs in three innings at an average of 79.50 and a strike rate of 157.42, including two half-centuries.

His performances have earned him 776 points, an eight-place jump to fourth in the global batting rankings.

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Babar Azam has also gained ground, moving five spots up to 29th with 572 points after scoring 90 runs at a strike rate of 116.88 in the tri-series.

Meanwhile, Saim Ayub managed to retain his 37th position with 538 points, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, absent from the series, dropped five places to 46th with 514 points.

Among the bowlers, spinner Abrar Ahmed remains eighth with 659 points, while fellow spinner Mohammad Nawaz, the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tri-series with seven scalps, climbed 14 spots to 13th with 638 points.

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi slipped four places to 18th, Sufiyan Muqeem fell four spots to 27th, and Salman Mirza climbed five positions to 38th with 532 points.

READ: Sahibzada Farhan storms into top five of ICC T20I batting rankings

DUBAI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has made a massive leap in the latest ICC T20I rankings on Wednesday, surging into the top five following his outstanding performances in the ongoing tri-series involving Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

Farhan, the highest run-scorer in the series, has accumulated 159 runs in three innings at an impressive average of 79.50 and a strike rate of 157.42, including two half-centuries.

His consistent run-making has earned him 776 points, propelling him eight spots up to fourth in the global T20I batting standings.

Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam also advanced in the rankings after scoring 90 runs in the tri-series at a strike rate of 116.88, moving five places up to 29th with 572 points.

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Opening batter Saim Ayub retained his 37th position with 538 points, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, absent from the tri-series, slipped five spots to 46th with 514 points.

Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman climbed three places to 57th, while T20I captain Salman Ali Agha dropped seven spots to 63rd.

At the top of the batting rankings, India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to lead, followed by England’s Phil Salt and India’s Tilak Varma.

On the bowling front, spinner Abrar Ahmed holds eighth place with 659 points, while fellow spinner Mohammad Nawaz, joint-highest wicket-taker in the tri-series with seven scalps, made a significant leap of 14 places to 13th with 638 points.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi dropped four spots to 18th, Sufiyan Muqeem fell four places to 27th, and Salman Mirza climbed five positions to 38th with 532 points.

Right-arm pacer Haris Rauf slipped seven spots to 46th, while Saim Ayub, who contributes as a part-time bowler, now ranks 51st. Faheem Ashraf jumped nine spots to 53rd, whereas Abbas Afridi dropped 11 places to 66th.

Varun Chakravarthy of India remains the number one T20I bowler, followed by New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.

In the all-rounder rankings, Mohammad Nawaz climbed one place to seventh, while Faheem Ashraf slipped to 35th and Shaheen Afridi to 59th. Salman Ali Agha dropped three places to 69th, and Abbas Afridi fell six spots to 81st.

Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza claimed the top spot among T20I all-rounders, surpassing Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, with West Indies’ Roston Chase in third place.

READ: WTC points table after South Africa’s series win over India