Madushanka's 5-34 skittles Pakistan for 110 as Sri Lanka reach the tri-series final in Lahore
Dilshan Madushanka's career-best figures and Kamindu Mendis' unbeaten 62 gave Sri Lanka an eight-wicket win and a place in Saturday's final against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka are through to the final of the ODI tri-series in Pakistan. On Tuesday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka took 5-34 as Pakistan were bowled out for 110, and Sri Lanka knocked off the target with eight wickets and 191 balls to spare. They will play Pakistan in the final in Lahore on Saturday 31 October.
Madushanka runs through Pakistan
Sri Lanka won the toss and bowled first, and the game was effectively over by the halfway point. Pakistan were all out for 110 in 25.3 overs. Madushanka took 5-34, his best figures in ODIs, and was named Player of the Match.
The rest of the attack backed him up. Sahan Arachchige took two wickets, and Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga and Dunith Wellalage took one each. Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan with 29 off 33 balls, and Shaheen Shah Afridi made 15. No one else did much: Salman Agha made 9, Fakhar Zaman 5 and Shadab Khan 2. ESPNcricinfo's report said Sri Lanka were in control from start to finish.
Kamindu Mendis finishes quickly
Sri Lanka lost Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis during the chase, but it never got difficult. Kamindu Mendis made 62 not out from 60 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. He and Pavan Rathnayake (23 not out) put on an unbroken 52 for the third wicket, and Sri Lanka reached 114-2 in 18.1 overs.
A week of two very different Sri Lanka wins
Five days earlier, in Rawalpindi on 22 October, Sri Lanka had won a very different kind of game. Harry Brook scored 202 off 116 balls for England, the fastest double-century in ODI history and the first by an England player, and England made 429-4. Sri Lanka still chased 430 and won by two wickets. Rathnayake made 130, Avishka Fernando 97 and Dasun Shanaka 97 off 50 balls, and Janith Liyanage finished the game with a six off the second-last ball. It was the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history.
That run chase was Sri Lanka's first win of the series, after Pakistan beat them by 37 runs in the opening game on 18 October. With Tuesday's win, they have qualified for the final.
Standings and what is left
ESPNcricinfo's table after Tuesday's match:
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Sri Lanka | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| England | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Pakistan had already qualified for the final after beating England twice. England have lost all three of their games and are out, so their match against Sri Lanka in Lahore on Thursday 29 October does not affect who reaches the final. The final is on Saturday 31 October, also in Lahore.
Key takeaways
- Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets with 191 balls left in Lahore.
- Dilshan Madushanka took a career-best 5-34 as Pakistan were all out for 110 in 25.3 overs.
- Kamindu Mendis made 62 not out from 60 balls in a chase that took 18.1 overs.
- Sri Lanka play Pakistan in the final in Lahore on 31 October. England's last game, against Sri Lanka on 29 October, is a dead rubber.
FAQ
Who is in the Pakistan ODI tri-series final? Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The final is in Lahore on Saturday 31 October 2026. England have been knocked out.
What were Dilshan Madushanka's figures against Pakistan? He took 5 wickets for 34 runs, his best figures in ODIs, and was named Player of the Match as Pakistan were bowled out for 110.
What was Sri Lanka's record chase in this series? On 22 October in Rawalpindi, Sri Lanka chased down England's 429-4 and won by two wickets. It is the second-highest successful chase in ODI history, and it came after Harry Brook had scored 202.
Sources: ESPNcricinfo, Outlook India, Sky Sports