Kusal Mendis's unbeaten 87 carries Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win in Rawalpindi

Sri Lanka closed their T20I series in Pakistan with an eight-wicket win in Rawalpindi, Kusal Mendis's unbeaten 87 denying the hosts a clean sweep

Sri Lanka chased down a target of 169 with 17 balls to spare in the third T20I, reaching 172 for 2 in 17.1 overs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after Pakistan had been held to 168 for 8 from their 20 overs.

The result does not change the series, which Pakistan had already won by taking the first match by four wickets and the second by 82 runs. They finish it 2-1.

Kusal Mendis, who was named player of the match, faced 48 balls for his 87 and hit nine fours and four sixes. Dasun Shanaka had set the win up with 3-21 from his four overs.

Shanaka squeezes the middle overs

Sri Lanka won the toss and bowled, and Eshan Malinga removed Fakhar Zaman for 12 from seven balls and Maaz Sadaqat for a three-ball duck, both in the same over of the powerplay with the score on 34.

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, in the side in place of Maheesh Theekshana, had Hasan Nawaz caught for 16 and conceded only 23 runs in his four overs.

Shanaka then took the middle order apart, accounting for Khawaja Nafay for 3, Mohammad Imran for 6 and Abdul Samad for 15 to leave Pakistan 102 for 6 in the 15th over.

Farhan holds the innings together

Only Sahibzada Farhan resisted. The Pakistan captain made 76 from 47 balls with seven fours and three sixes, his third successive half-century of the series.

He and Arafat Minhas, who finished 34 not out from 20 balls, added 66 for the seventh wicket and lifted Pakistan from 102 for 6 to a total that at least gave the bowlers something to work with.

Farhan fell for the first of two wickets to fall on 168, caught by Shanaka off Nuwan Thushara, who finished with 2-38. "At one point we felt we'll only get 140," Farhan said afterwards.

Mendis takes the chase away

Mohammad Imran trapped Lahiru Udara lbw for 1 to leave Sri Lanka 15 for 1, and that was as close as Pakistan came to a contest.

Mendis and Sineth Jayawardena, who made 38 from 26 balls with five fours and two sixes, added 59 for the second wicket before Jayawardena was caught off Arafat Minhas.

Mendis and Kamindu Mendis then put on an unbroken 98 to finish it, the latter unbeaten on 40 from 27 balls. "Kamindu batted really well after the powerplay," the captain said.

Little on offer for Pakistan's attack

Pakistan's five bowlers took two wickets between them. Mohammad Imran was the most economical with 1-31 from four overs and Arafat Minhas returned 1-26 from three.

Salman Mirza went for 40 in three overs, Razaullah 37 in 3.1 and Sufyan Moqim 35 in his four, and the required rate never climbed above the one Sri Lanka began with.

A record series for Farhan

Farhan was named player of the series for 238 runs across the three matches, the most by a batter in a bilateral three-match men's T20I series between Full Member sides, beating the 229 Abhishek Sharma made against Afghanistan earlier this year.

He was unwilling to read much into one defeat. "Can't decide someone's performance based on one match," he said. "It's cricket; you're not always in form."

Scorecard: Pakistan 168 for 8 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 76, Arafat Minhas 34 not out; Dasun Shanaka 3-21) lost to Sri Lanka 172 for 2 in 17.1 overs (Kusal Mendis 87 not out, Kamindu Mendis 40 not out) by eight wickets.

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