Pakistan restrict Sri Lanka to 325 after Kamindu's maiden ODI century

Sri Lanka scorched their way to 255 in 41 overs, propelled by Kamindu Mendis' maiden ODI hundred, and another sparkling innings from Pavan Rathnayake, who hit 77 from 65 balls. But although they were tracking for a total in the vicinity of 350, Pakistan's seamers rallied in the final nine overs, and Sri Lanka mustered a relatively limp finish.

After Kamindu and Rathnayake's 146-run partnership off 146 deliveries, Sri Lanka lost five wickets for 52 runs - their tailenders having to play out the last 11 balls. After Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah had all put in excellent finishing spells, Sri Lanka settled for 325 for 8, with only 70 runs coming from the last nine overs.

The target is still daunting, but it does not require Pakistan to break any records. They have chased 349 at this very venue, against Australia, only four years ago. They also have a higher successful chase against Sri Lanka in the books from only three years ago. They will believe they can still lift the trophy.

Kamindu and Rathnayake, however, had been spectacular while they batted together. Both were brutal on errors of length on a true pitch, Rathnayake showcasing a powerful sweep again, in addition to his ravishing pull.

Kamindu, meanwhile, unleashed virtually the full array of his strokes on his first trip to triple figures in white-ball cricket. He had been largely unhurried in the early overs, though there was an excellent reverse sweep off Arafat Minhas in the seventh over. But having been 18 off 29 at the end of the ninth over, he moved up the gears through the middle overs, first in the company of Avishka Fernando, with whom he put on 87 off 104 deliveries together at the top of the innings, before Rathnayake joined him for their big stand in the 22nd over. In between Kusal Mendis had begun brightly too, but was out to an outstanding reflex caught-and-bowled to Salman Agha.

From there, Rathnayake and Kamindu set about scoring freely off Pakistan's spinners especially, peppering the square boundaries especially, with the left-hander and right-hander both capable of sweeping and reverse sweeping. There were plenty of singles and twos in their stand too. Between them, they struck 20 fours, Kamindu responsible for 12 of those. Kamindu also hit two sixes - a thumping pull over fine leg, and a delectable flick off the pads over deep midwicket. He reached his century with a ramp over the keeper, off the 107th ball he faced.

It was Kamindu's dismissal at the start of the 42nd over, however, that precipitated Sri Lanka's late wobble. He missed an Afridi yorker attempting a scoop and was given out lbw, the batter reviewing unuccessfully. And then batters started holing out, as Pakistan's quicks varied their pace and cramped batters for room. Dasun Shanaka was caught at long-on off the bowling of Afridi in the 44th over, before Rathnayake was caught at the straight boundary off Rauf, next over. This was the first time in four innings he was out for less than 100, and he will likely finish the top-runscorer in the series by a distance, with 427 runs in the tournament at a strike rate of 123.

Naseem then had Janith Liyanage caught at deep cover, before Dunith Wellalage and Sahan Arachchige were caught behind the wicket in quick succession. Maheesh Theekshana struck a six and Asitha Fernando got a four away in the penultimate over, but Pakistan had nevertheless been effective at applying the brakes, however late in the innings.

Afridi finished with the innings best figures conceding only 50 from his 10 overs, with the key wicket of Kamindu among the two he took. Rauf and Naseem also took two each, as did Agha, who had made the first breakthrough of the day as well, trapping Avishka in front.