Sri Lanka captain Mendis and Shanaka deny Pakistan clean sweep in T20 series

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Kusal Mendis bounced back from two subpar performances to hit an unbeaten half-century and Sri Lanka denied Pakistan a clean sweep in their T20 series with an eight-wicket win Tuesday.

The captain, who made 1 and 9 in the previous two defeats, scored 87 not out off 48 balls and carried Sri Lanka to 172-2 in 17.1 overs as the visitors showed improvement in all the three facets of the game.

Pakistan skipper Sahibzada Farhan had earlier scored 76 off 47 balls to allowed the home team to score 168-8 after Mendis won his third straight toss and elected to field.

Pakistan won the first game by four wickets and then inflicted a crushing 82-run defeat in the second game by scoring its second highest-ever T20 score of 215.

Both teams will now be joined by England in an ODI tri-series starting in Rawalpindi from Sunday.

With the three-match series already in the bag, Pakistan rested frontline bowlers Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed along with spin all-rounders Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.

Sineth Jayawardena (38) showed plenty of intent in the power play against the pace despite Sri Lanka losing Lahiru Udara off Mohammad Imran’s first ball.

Udara could have overturned the on-field lbw decision but preferred not to review as the TV replays suggested Imran’s ball had made an impact outside the off stump.

Jayawardena holed out to long-on in an eventful first over of left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas during which wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay missed a stumping and then the Minhas injured his little finger while dropping a difficult return catch.

Mendis then controlled the chase well with Kamindu Mendis, who scored unbeaten 40 off 27 balls as they added a match-winning 98-run stand off just 55 balls. Kusal Mendis hit nine fours and four sixes in his brutal power-hitting as Pakistan bowlers missed their lengths consistently.

Fast bowler Razaullah, playing in only his second T20, erred in length and conceded 37 runs off his 19 balls while Salman Mirza (0-40) also went for plenty off his three overs.

Former captain Dasun Shanaka (3-21) struck three times in the middle overs to limit Pakistan.

Eshan Malinga had pegged back Pakistan with the prized wicket of Maaz Sadaqat for a three-ball duck after dangerman Fakhar Zaman (12) got caught at short third off fast bowler’s first ball.

Spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (1-23) then combined well with Shanaka in the middle overs as Pakistan struggled to 102-6 in the 14th over and Farhan remained off strike for majority of deliveries.

Minhas (34 not out) should have been run-out off the first ball but Mendis couldn’t gather the ball cleanly at the striker’s end before Farhan upped the ante in the death overs against the pace as Pakistan scored 59 runs off the last five overs.

Nuwan Thushara (2-38) picked up his both wickets off the final two balls of the innings when Farhan top-edged the fast bowler to Shanaka inside the circle and then Razaullah got clean bowled around his legs off the final ball.

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