HYDERABAD: Inform Kusal Mendis’s furious hundred and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s sensational inning drove Sri Lanka to a huge total of 344 Runs against Pakistan in the mega event contest being played at Hyderabad, India, on Tuesday. The Sri Lankan batters had no mercy for the Pakistani bowlers and smashed them all around the boundary lines.
Earlier winning the toss Sri Lanka decided to bat first. Sri Lanka lost their first wicket on just five runs in the second over when Hasan Ali got rid of Kusal Parera in Rizwan Safe hands. However, when Kusal Mendis joined Nissanka, both the batter’s batons charged the Pakistani bowlers. At the stage, Imam-ul-Haq dropped a catch of Shaheen’s bowling, which helped the batters to play even more easily against Pakistan. Both completed their half-centuries.
In Over number 18th, Shadab Khan managed to dismiss Nissanka on 51. However, after reaching fifty, Kusal Mendis became even more ruthless, taking his side with a run rate of 10 runs per over from over number 20 to 30. Mendis completed his century and reached 122 on just 77 balls, including 14 boundaries and six terrific sixes. At the stage in over number 29th, Hassan Ali removed Mendis. But on the other hand, Sadeera took his side with some brilliant strokes. He completed his half-century in no time. In the 42nd over, Sri Lanka lost their 5th wicket when the score reached 294. De Silva scored 25 runs.
Sri Lanka crossed the 300 milestone in the 44th over with Sadeera on the crease. After Kusal Mendis, Sadeera also completed his brilliant hundred on facing just 82 balls. Shaheen Afridi got his first wicket when he removed the skipper Shanaka on 12. At the stage, Sri Lanka were 324 for 6 in 46.3 overs. When the score reached 335, Hassan Ali got the wicket of Sadeera on the last ball of his spill. He scored 108 on 89 balls. In the fiftieth over, Sri Lanka lost their 8th wicket when Haris Rauf bowled out Theekshana on zero. Haris took his second wicket on the last ball of the inning. In 50 overs, Sri Lanka managed to score 344 runs for the last of 9 wickets. In the last 10 overs, Pakistani bowlers bowled well; however, Sri Lankan batters had already managed to set a huge total.
From Pakistan Hassan Ali was the most successful bowler who grabbed 4 wickets while conceding 71 runs in his 10 over spill. Haris Rauf got two wickets while Muhammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Afridi took one wicket each. In general, it was not a good day for Pakistani bowlers.
Pakistan Squad: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan †, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf
Sri Lanka Squad: Kusal Parera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka and Matheesha Pathirana
