RAWALPINDI: Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi starred with the ball as Pakistan won the T20I tri-series with a thumping six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final on Saturday. Nawaz took 3-17 and Shaheen 3-18 as Sri Lanka were dismissed for a paltry 114 in 19.1 overs, before Pakistan romped home with eight balls to spare at Rawalpindi Stadium. Zimbabwe were the third team in the tri-series but lost three of their four matches to finish bottom. Sri Lanka were never in the hunt in the decider after posting a below-par total as Saim Ayub (36) and Sahibzada Farhan (23) gave Pakistan a solid 46-run opening partnership inside the first eight overs. Babar Azam hit 37 not out to ensure Pakistan did not derail despite losing skipper Salman Agha (14) and Fakhar Zaman (three) in quick succession. &quot;It was a great performance from us,&quot; said Agha. &quot;This has been a very good two months for us, we won against South Africa and now against Sri Lanka.&quot; Earlier, Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, lost nine wickets for a mere 30 runs after being well set on 84-1 in the 11th over. Opener Kamil Mishara hit a robust 47-ball 59, with the help of four sixes and two boundaries, to set a platform for a good total for the visitors. Mishara added 64 runs for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis, who scored 14, but once both departed in the space of three overs the innings fell apart. Nawaz dismissed Mendis, while Mishara holed out off Ayub, as the Pakistan bowlers relentlessly cranked up the pressure. None of the later Sri Lankan batters could reach double figures as Nawaz and Shaheen tore through the middle and lower order. &quot;We couldn&#39;t build on a good platform because Pakistan bowled very well,&quot; said Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka. &quot;We need to fine-tune our game ahead of the next series and the World Cup.&quot; India and Sri Lanka co-host the Twenty20 World Cup in February-March next year.

Cricket

Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets each as Pakistan bowled out Sri Lanka for 114 and chased the target comfortably, sealing the T20I tri-series title, with Zimbabwe finishing bottom.

Pakistan rout Sri Lanka to win T20I tri-series

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe will contest a seven-match T20 International Tri-Series in Rawalpindi beginning Nov. 18, the first time a tri-nation T20I event will be played on home soil. All three sides will play each other twice, creating a four-match league stage per team. The top two will meet in the final, scheduled for the evening of Nov. 29.&nbsp;The green shirts will enter the series in strong momentum under skipper Salman Ali Agha. The T-20 captain led Pakistan to the Asia Cup final, beat South Africa at home, and dominated Bangladesh earlier this year.&nbsp;The squad&rsquo;s recent calendar has been intense, including a full Test, ODI, and T20I series against South Africa. Pakistan also completed a clean sweep against Sri Lanka in the ODI series that concluded earlier this month in Rawalpindi.&nbsp;Agha said the series will also help the side prepare for the World Cup.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;The tri-series comes at an ideal time for us. It allows the group to play consistent cricket against two competitive sides and further refine our T20I plans ahead of the all-important ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup next year,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have seen great support for the home side from the Rawalpindi fans, and we are expecting quality contests throughout the series,&rdquo; Agha added.&nbsp;Security officials have prepared comprehensive measures for the event, building on earlier matches that drew large, enthusiastic crowds in Rawalpindi.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fans are expected to turn out in strong numbers again, encouraged by the city&rsquo;s successful hosting record and the high-stakes nature of the tri-series.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s 15-member T20I squad includes: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq. The schedule for the series is as follows: 18 November &ndash; Pakistan v Zimbabwe 20 November &ndash; Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe 22 November &ndash; Pakistan v Sri Lanka 23 November &ndash; Pakistan v Zimbabwe 25 November &ndash; Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe 27 November &ndash; Pakistan v Sri Lanka 29 November &ndash; Final

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe will contest a seven-match T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi from November 18. Pakistan enters in strong form under Salman Ali Agha, using the series to prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup.

Articles tagged with "Tri-Nation Series"

Pakistan rout Sri Lanka to win T20I tri-series

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