Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 36 runs and complete the clean sweep

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 36 runs to complete the clean sweep

LAHORE: (Web Desk) - Pakistan have beaten Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I of the 3-match series by 36 runs and won the series 3-Nil. The home side is now just 1 point short of New Zealand s top position in T20I ranking.

Pakistan were put to bat by Sri Lanka and scored 180 runs in their allotted overs for the loss of just 3 wickets, courtesy some top class hitting by former captain Shoaib Malik who scored 51 runs off 24 balls with the help of 5 boundaries and 2 sixes. Babar Azam, Umar Amin, Fakhar Zaman and Faheem Ashraf all chipped in. Umar Amin scored 45 runs in his comeback game. Zaman scored 31 off 27 balls, Azam remained unbeaten for 34 and Faheem Ashraf scored 13 runs off just 3 balls with 2 massive sixes off his first two balls.

Sri Lanka kept losing wickets in their chase as none of the batsmen really helped Shanaka, who scored 54 off off 36 balls with 5 boundaries and 3 sixes. Chaturanag de Silve (21), Prasanna (16), Parithana (14), Udawatte (11) and Thisara Perera (10) were the only other batsmen to have made it to double figures. Amir got four wickets on his debut T20I game on Pakistani soil. Faheem Ashraf got two wickets while Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim and Hafeez bagged one wicket apiece.

Shoaib Malik was the Man of the Match, and also the Man of the Series. And Sania Mirza was jubilant.

Pakistan have won the series before a packed stadium in Lahore and they now are just one point behind No 1 spot in the ICC T20I rankings, the place currently held by New Zealand. New Zealand have 125 points in the shortest format of the game while Pakistan now has 124.

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