Batters, Hasaranga help Sri Lanka draw the series in rain-affected game

When Pathum Nissanka fell for a duck off just the sixth ball of the innings, Sri Lanka fans would have felt a very familiar sense of dread. It looked like it was happening again. A batting collapse looked imminent. These concerns eased for a brief time through Kamil Mishara’s 11 off 6 balls and then again with Dhanajaya de Silva’s 22 off 15 balls. 

However, neither’s short stay was resounding enough to settle nerves. Were Sri Lanka playing too aggressively without worrying about wickets? Would it lead to a match-ending batting collapse? At 104/5, it certainly felt that way. 

Shanaka dealt in boundaries

While the impressions of what Sri Lanka were trying to do kept changing, the Sri Lankan skipper came in to turn the tables with the most aggressive of jerks. He scored 34 off 9 balls, filled the team with a reinvigorated spirit and took them to the brink of a total that seemed too big to be achieved in 12 overs (spoiler: It was, in fact, a total too big to be achieved in the given overs).

Pakistan bowlers had a tough outing. Four bowlers conceded more than 11 runs per over, with Mohammad Wasim leaking 18 every six balls. The Pakistan openers were equally disappointing. Had it not been for Salman Ali Agha’s barely believable 45 off 12 balls, the visitors would have returned with a very sorry total. 

Pakistan batters had an off day

That only two other batters reached double figures sums up why Pakistan fell short of the target despite a few quickfire, potentially match-turning innings. 

It was just a matter of time before Pakistan’s last hope; Faheem Ashraf, who was run out, also disappeared in the last over. Eventually, they lost the game and the chance to win the series by 14 runs. 

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