Babar Azzam ends his drought in ODI centuries as Pakistan thump Sri Lanka by 8 wickets to win series.
By Brian Thomas
It was so easy on the eye to see Babar Azzam taking advantage of being given a life when Pramod Madushka dropped him on 5 , he scored a brilliant, unbeaten century square driving the hapless Sri Lanka bowling attack for 61 runs to end his drought of centuries in ODI cricket making 102 runs in 119 deliveries with 8 boundaries to guide his team to an emphatic with by 8 wickets and win the 3 match series with one more game to go.
Babar Azzam had two companions, Fakar Zaman who made 76 , the opening batter who incidentally was dropped on 21 by Asitha Fernando, given a life again dropped on 26 by Janith Liyanage, two easy catches , which helped him to stitch a partnership of 100 runs for the 2nd wicket with Barbar Azzam. Pakistan batters were Fantastic their application against Sri Lanka”s 4 man bowling attack that lacks venom was brilliant to state the least.
Mohd Rizwan the wicket keeper , joined Babar Azzam , and proved to the Pakistani selectors that he can still bat as he made 52 unbeaten runs and was involved in an unbroken partnership of 122 runs for the 3rd wicket, as Pakistan got to the target with 10 balls to spare chasing 289 a below par target given the Rawalpindi condition of inevitable dew , and the winter chill of the evening.
What are the disappointing mistakes Sri Lanka is making ?
playing quality oppositions with 4 specialist bowlers does not work , because 2 top order batters namely Kusal Mendis and skipper Charith Asalanka’ seem passengers with the bat , and critics state runs from these two is only a bonus. Out of the 288 runs accumulated by Sri Lanka these two top order batters contributed just 29 runs , because they too dependent on the middle order to do their job.
Sri Lankan batters are weak against quality spin , because they don’t read the delivery off the wrist ,but play the spin off the pitch which is dangerous.
Correct horse for the course is something that Charity Asalanka’ as he is now known does not seem to understand. Looking at the surface it was spinner friendly but he dropped Mahesh Theekshana from the playing eleven played Pramod Madushan the seamer who leaked 62 runs bowling only 8 overs.
Remember if you play 4 specialist bowlers each bowler must bowl his quota of 10 overs , period. Hasaranga went wicketless, but he conceded only 35 runs , whilst Pakistan’s specialist spinner Abar Ahmad took 3 for 41 , so Asalanka’ is making big blunders with the team selection, similar to his appalling contribution with the bat.
Sri Lanka looked set to make 320 , a wiining total a par score given the anticipated dew factor and the wintery chill at Rawalpindi, but the top order failure especially the run-out of Pathum Nissanka for 27 , and Sri Lanka not capitalising when they were 232 runs for 6 wickets in 43rd over with inform batters Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis at the wickets had a huge dent because they both were dismissed almost back to back.
Sri Lanka did not recognise the fact that Pakistani bowlers are very effective with the old ball especially between the 25th to the 40th over. Based on this keeping wickets in tact until the 40th over is a prerequisite period. Teams can launch an onslaught with wickets in hand .
Seamers Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushka were disappointing to state the least bowling to the pads and conceeding too many wides , whilst the 5th bowling option by the part timer bowlers of Sri Lanka are below par hence they spell disaster against quality teams.
Wauqur Younis stated that both Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushka tend to bowl wide of the crease hence they do not get the swing even with seam up deliveries.
Sri Lanka”s spin department was far below par for the Rawalpindi surface , only Wanindu Hasaranga had the required quality , period.
Asalanka’ as a spinner is like a pharmacist doing the job of a physician.
Credit to Sri Lanka middle order batters namely Samarawickrama, Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, and Wanindu Hasaranga, whilst the top order batters also ran.
The main scores
Sri Lanka 288 for 8 in 50 overs.
Janith Liyanage 54
Sadeera Samarawickrama 42
Kamindu Mendis 44
Wanindu Hasaranga 32 not out
Harris Rauf 3 for 66
Abar Ahmad 3 for 41
Pakistan 289 for 2 in 48.4 overs.
Babar Azzam 102 not out
Fakar Zaman 76
Mohd Rizwan 52 not out
Dusmantha Chameera 2 for 58.
Pakistan win by 8 wickets.
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