Pakistan wins 3rd ODI to claim series
October 19, 2017 12:31 am
Hasan Ali claimed 5 for 34 as Pakistan sealed a series win over Sri Lanka by winning the third ODI by 7 wickets in Abu Dhabi.
It was another woeful performance from the Sri Lanka batsmen in the face of some good bowling from Pakistan.
Hasan became the fastest Pakistan bowler to reach fifty ODI wickets passing the milestone in his 24th match.
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first but failed to make the most of conditions as yet again only opener Upul Tharanga passed fifty.
Pakistan kept things tight up front and the wickets began to tumble under the pressure.
Tharanga (61) fought valiantly but only Thisara Perera (38) and Lahiru Thirimanne could even get past 20.
Spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Hafeez claimed valuable top order wickets before Hasan cleaned up the tail in no time seeing Sri Lanka fall to 208 all out.
It was a memorable ODI debut for Imam-ul-Haq, nephew of former Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq, who scored a century in his first outing for Pakistan.
Imam became the second Pakistani to achieve the feat and the 13th batsman overall.
Fakhar Zaman (29) and Babar Azam (30) were the only men to lose their wickets in the chase which was expertly handled by Imam.
Imam (100) gloved one through to the keeper with the finish line in sight but Hafeez (34*) would get them over the line.
Pakistan take a 3-0 lead in the five match series with this win.
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