After the high of a one-wicket win over England, hosts Pakistan faced a crushing defeat against Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, in the fifth ODI of the tri-series. A day after an out-of-form Saim Ayub was released from the squad following a request to regain form via domestic cricket, Pakistan were bowled out for 110, their second-lowest ODI score at home. Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka wreaked havoc with a five-wicket haul, breaking the record for best bowling figures in ODIs by a visiting pacer against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka also booked their place in the ODI tri-series final, knocking England out with a game to spare.
Madushanka scripts history
Madushanka registered the best ODI bowling figures by a visiting pacer against Pakistan, taking five wickets for 34 runs in 8.3 overs. Among spinners, the record lies with all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya. The left-arm spinner took five wickets for 17 runs in eight overs at the same venue in October 2004.
The record for a pacer previously belonged to New Zealand's Chris Harris. The Kiwi pacer had taken five wickets for 42 runs against Pakistan in Sialkot.
Madushanka is only the fifth visiting pacer to bag an ODI fifer against Pakistan. Others on the list are Australia's Craig McDermott (5 for 44 in Lahore in 1987), Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani (4 for 49 in Rawalpindi in November 2020), and Australia's Glenn McGrath (5 for 52 in Lahore in October 1994).
Madushanka is the fifth left-arm pacer to take an ODI fifer in Pakistan. The other four are Wasim Akram, Sohail Tanvir, Shaheen and Usman Shinwari.
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Pakistan’s batting troubles take a turn for worse
Skipper Kushal Mendis won the toss and opted to bowl first. Madushanka struck in the second over as Fakhar Zaman's woes continued. Zaman was hurried on by a short delivery and fell after scoring just five runs. Replacing Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat was dismissed for a single-digit score by Asitha Fernando. Babar Azam hit a few boundaries, piercing the field in the first powerplay overs. Saad Baig couldn't use the opportunity and played a loose drive to throw his wicket away as Madushanka took his second wicket.
After a ton in the series opener, Salman Agha's returns with the bat continued to diminish. Off-spinner Sahan Arachchige dismissed him for just nine runs. Then, Babar became part of the collapse. He missed the line and was dismissed lbw by Eshan Malinga for a 33-ball 29, the top score in the innings. Pakistan lost half the side for 61 in 13.1 overs.
The centurion of the previous innings, Shadab Khan, walked out to bat. He couldn't contribute much with the bat. He went for a sweep, and all he could manage was a top edge. He wanted to review, but there were no reviews left. Hence, the collapse continued.
For nearly eight overs, not a single boundary was scored. Hasan Nawaz tried to break the shackles with a six off Arachchige. Madushanka was brought back into the attack. In his second over of the second spell, Madushanka got rid of Arafat Minhas with a short ball. Nawaz's resistance ended in the next over bowled by left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage. Nawaz played a loose shot, handing an easy catch to the long-off fielder. He departed after scoring 17 runs from 31 balls.
Madushanka did not let the tail wag. Haris Rauf, who was part of the record-breaking 10th-wicket partnership in the run chase, was caught in the slips off Madushanka's bowling. Skipper Shaheen Afridi hit a couple of sixes before he became Madushanka's fifth victim of the day. Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs. This was also Madushanka’s maiden ODI fifer.
This is their lowest ODI score at home since 1986 when West Indies bundled them out for 113. Pakistan's lowest ODI total at home came in Lahore. In 2009, Sri Lanka bowled them out for 75.
Kamindu leads run chase
Chasing 113, Kamindu Mendis got an early reprieve as wicketkeeper Baig dropped his catch off Shaheen's bowling. Kamindu punished Pakistan for the dropped catch. He hit Naseem Shah for a six and a four in the fourth over. Then, he hit Rauf for three consecutive boundaries. Shaheen got the breakthrough with Avishka Fernando's wicket in the seventh over. Arafat was introduced in the ninth over. Kusal middled the fifth delivery on the back foot, but the ball rolled back to the off-stump, dislodging the bail.
Kamindu continued to fire from the other end. In the 12th over, he smashed Shaheen for a six to reach his half-century from 42 deliveries. On the first ball of the 19th over, Pavan Rathnayake scored the winning runs. Sri Lanka registered an eight-wicket win with 191 balls to spare.
Madushanka was adjudged 'Player of the match' for his fifer. He said that they had a plan to bowl short to Pakistan batters.
“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,” the 26-year-old said.
“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,” he added.
Shaheen wants to forget big defeat
Pakistan skipper Shaheen wants the top-order to fire after a series of low scores. But he wants the team to forget the defeat and focus on the final.
“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,” the left-arm pacer said.
He wants the top-order batters to work on the weakness against short-pitched deliveries.
“We have three days, so hopefully we practise on that, and in the final we come and we bat stronger,” he added.
Sri Lanka will now play England in a dead rubber ODI on October 29 at the same venue before facing Pakistan in the final on October 31. England are yet to register a win in the ODI tri-series.