Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Blind Cricket Series ’19 – 3rd ODI: Pak Sweeps Series 3-0

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Blind
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Blind Cricket Series ’19: Pakistan team after winning the 3rd ODI and Series 3-0 – Courtesy: PBCC

COLOMBO: Rashid’s and Riasat’s ton handed Sri Lanka the 3rd defeat in as many as many ODI’s and Pakistan clean-sweep the ODI series by 3-0.

Pakistan clean sweep Sri Lanka in ODI series for 3rd consecutive time, earlier Pakistan defeated them in 2008 and 2016. On aggregate, it is Pakistan’s 8th Clean Sweep series victory in ODIs.

The 3rd and final One-day International of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Blind Cricket Series was played today at Bloomfield Cricket Ground Colombo.

This time, the coin favors the Islanders and they decided to bowl first. Their decision proved productive in the 1stover of the innings when Matiullah, who was playing his first game in this series was caught out without scoring a run.

Mohsin Khan and Badar Munir also returned to dugout without much scoring. They scored 18 and 29 runs respectively. Pakistan was soaring at 84 for the loss of 3 wickets in 8 overs and Sri Lanka had the upper hand. But the 119 runs stand between Riasat Khan and Muhamad Rashid for the 4thwicket, turned the table around. Riasat Khan got out after scoring 100 runs off 69 balls.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Blind Cricket Series ’19: Pakistan captain receiving the prize for winning the Series 3-0 –  Courtesy: PBCC

Wickets kept tumbling around Rashid but he kept playing his incredible knock. Assault in last few overs mounted Pakistan total to 448 runs in 40 overs for the loss of 7 wickets. Muhammad Rashid remained unbeaten on 179 runs off 100 balls, he smashed 27 fours in his innings. Total runs of 448 also contain 22 runs penalty to Sri Lankan team for bowling 3 overs after stipulated time. Suranga Sampath took 2 wickets for 51 runs and Upul Sanjeva also claimed 2 wickets for 68 runs.

Target of 449 runs apparently seemedinsurmountable, and it proved as well, the pressure of chasing huge total took the better off the Sri Lankan batsmen. They tried their best to keep the required run rate regimented but could not thrived against the potent bowling attack and strong fielding of Green Shirts.  Sri Lanka made 342 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in allotted 40 overs. Dimithu Sandrawan scored 107 runs off 83 balls and Ajit Silva scored 58 runs. Matiullh, Mohsin Khan and Fakhar Abbass claimed 2 wickets each.

Result: Pakistan won by 106 runs 

Man of the Match: Muhammad Rashid

Man of the ODI Series:

Pakistani players won all the man of series awards with their outstanding performances:

  • Riasat Khan in B1 Category
  • Badar Munir in B2 Category
  • Muhammad Rashid in B3 Category

Manusha Nanayakkara, Member of National Parliament Sri Lanka, Syed Sultan Shah, Chairman Pakistan Blind Cricket Council and the Former President World Blind Cricket Ltd, Syed Salman Bokhari, Senior Vice President World Blind Cricket Ltd and Chaminda Pushpakumara 2nd Vice President World Blind Cricket Ltd were the guests of the occasion and gave away prizes.

The 3 match T-20 series will commence from 27th February at Bloomfield Ground, Colombo.