By Srian Obeyesekere
Pakistan’s facile 289 for just two wickets in 48.4 overs in simply shrugging off Sri Lanka’s 288 for 8 in 50 overs with Babar Azam firing a back to form Player of the Match unbeaten century to silencing almost all of Pakistan that had been screaming for his blood yesterday highlighted the hosts superiority in going 2-nil up to winning the 3-match ODI series with one remaining at Rawalpindi in an overall show of strength also showcased by a superior bowling attack to a a comparatively wayward Lankan attack negated by Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushan bowling wide on the off stump which former Pakistan pace great Waqar Younis was quick to comment on TV was a negative factor.
That apart, poor fielding by the Lankans was further denting with Babar Azam dropped on 5 and Faqar Zaman, who was dropped on 21 by Asitha Fernando and on 26 by Janith Liyanage exposed a glaring hole in the so vital ‘catches win matches’ area.
Still importantly Sri Lanka losing the plot when on 243 for 6 by the 43rd over when 54 top scoter Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis 44 were on song, but perished in quick succession when it was the firing point stage for Sri Lanka to going for the 300-plus high that would have pressurised Pakistan, put paid to Charith Asalanka and company letting the horses out of the stables further behest by the Lankan skipper and Kusal Mendis, two of the prize batsmen failing to fire in consecutive games.
That Sri Lanka got to a challenging total, but still not enough to stop Pakistan on a familiar batting home surface must serve as an eye opener to the batting coach and head coach that more needs to be done to put on the desired fire power in big show cricket where nothing short of the best is the decisive ultimate prevailing factor to staying on top where in this instance Pakistan, by this series success has already frog leaped Sri Lanka whom they were trailing prior to the series in the ICC ODI team rankings.
And as much as the usually reliable top gun opener Pathum Nissanka disappointing in both games, his run out in this contest an unforgivable costly factor to Sri Lanka’s cause in professional cricket at its highest where it is high time the batsmen wore the comprehending thinking cap of not throwing the side into the peril of the suicidal.
Pakistan 289 for 2 (Babar 102, Fakhar 78, Rizwan 51) beat Sri Lanka 288 for 8 (Liyanage 54, Abrar 3-41) by eight wickets
