Pakistan were at their dominant best in the 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka, trampling over them by 67 runs courtesy a Babar Azam masterclass and Usman Shinwari’s sizzling spells. Babar, as he has so often done throughout his career and especially this year so far, anchored the innings with a healthy strike-rate before Iftikhar Ahmed launched his assault in the latter overs to help the home team post 305 runs on the board. In response, Sri Lanka went off a devastating start as their top and middle orders proved to be houses of cards. One Sri Lankan wicket fell after another before the pair of Dasun Shanaka and Shehan Jayasuriya batted with maturity to carry the game into the last ten overs.
After the first match was washed out due to excessive rain, the home team would have been pleased with their clinical show at the National Stadium. Over the years, Pakistani fans have witnessed several memorable triumphs on their venue. Now to witness their team cruise through on the return of ODI Cricket in the city would have been surreal, indeed.
Pakistan are well-placed to keep the pressure cooker on for their visitors and seal the deal in the 3rd ODI. The opening partnership flourished with Fakhar Zaman registering a free-flowing innings. Haris Sohail also contributed in the middle order but it was Babar’s faultless century that stood a class apart from the rest of the knocks.
Shinwari did not feature in the World Cup but made a massive statement on Monday night courtesy his 5 for 51. He bowled with some serious pace and looked to be approaching the crease with an attacking mindset right from the word go. Shadab Khan had an expensive outing but he managed to pluck out a crucial wicket or two. Imam-ul-Haq hurt the webbing in his hand while fielding in the second ODI and spent most of the second innings off the field. Abid Ali will replace him considered the southpaw is not declared fit enough to feature in the 3rd and last ODI.
Pakistan’s Probable XI: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt. & wk), 6 Iftikhar Ahmed 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Usman Shinwari
Giving a fight and surrendering just at the wrong time is not something new to several Sri Lankan matches of late. There is a semblance of brilliance to small passages of the game where they look to be turning the tables over but it just falls apart with nothing of significance gained. Nevertheless, there is usually a silver lining in defeat, and that came in the form of the 177-run stand between Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka for the sixth wicket that would have surely sent down some shivers down the Pakistani team.
Wanindu Hasaranga took two wickets in the second ODI and also played some delightful strokes at the latter part of the Sri Lankan innings. With Akila Dananjaya, Sri Lanka's top spin option, suspended for a year for his illegal bowling action, Hasaranga has an excellent opportunity to be the main man with the bowl and make it into the Islanders’ T20I squad for next year’s World T20. Avishka Fernando, despite his failure in the previous game, remains a player to watch out for. He and Lahiru Thirimanne will have to carry the Sri Lankan batting which collapsed on Monday. the tourists could tinker with the side, bringing in the tall seamer Kasun Rajitha in place of Lahiru Kumara.
Sri Lanka’s Probable XI: 1 Lahiru Thirimanne (capt.), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), 5 Oshada Fernando, 6 Shehan Jayasuriya, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Wanindu Hasaranga, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Nuwan Pradeep
