Kusal Mendis steered Sri Lanka to a commanding eight-wicket victory against Pakistan in the third T20I at Rawalpindi, preventing a clean sweep for the home side. Mendis finished unbeaten on 87 off 48 deliveries, successfully leading his team to a target of 169 with 17 balls remaining. Despite this performance, Pakistan secured the three-match series 2-1, with captain Sahibzada Farhan earning the Player of the Series award following his third consecutive half-century.
Pakistan opened promisingly, reaching 34 without loss inside three overs. However, Eshan Malinga shifted the momentum with a double-wicket maiden, dismissing Fakhar Zaman and Maaz Sadaqat. Sri Lankan bowler Dasun Shanaka proved lethal, finishing with 3-21. Supported by Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Shanaka dismantled the middle order, taking the wickets of Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Abdul Samad. Pakistan struggled to 102 for 6 by the 14th over before Arafat Minhas provided a late surge with an undefeated 34 from 20 balls. Playing his first game of the series, and Shanaka worked in tandem to take control of the middle overs, farhan kept the scoreboard moving but Vijayakanth Viyaskanth.
Farhan anchored the innings with 76, sharing a 66-run partnership with Minhas that saw the pair plunder 48 runs between the 17th and 19th overs. Nuwan Thushara eventually curtailed the onslaught in the final over, claiming the wickets of Farhan and Razaullah while conceding only five runs, limiting Pakistan to 168/8. He and Farhan added 66 off 37 balls and took 48 runs off the 17th, 18th and 19th overs.
The Sri Lankan response began aggressively through Sineth Jayawardena, who hit 14 runs in the opening over. Although Randhawa dismissed Lahiru Udara, Jayawardena and Kusal Mendis built a vital 59-run stand. After Minhas removed Jayawardena for 38, Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis took command. Capitalizing on the evening dew, Kusal Mendis reached his half-century in 33 balls. Despite a dropped catch when he was on 64, he partnered with Kamindu, who contributed 40 not out, to share an unbroken 98-run match-winning partnership. Randhawa trapped Lahiru Udara lbw in the second but Jayawardena (38 off 26) and Kusal added 59 off 41 balls before Minhas had Jayawardena caught at long-on in the eighth over.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 168/8 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 76, Arafat Minhas 34*; Dasun Shanaka 3-21) lost to Sri Lanka 172/2 in 17.1 overs (Kusal Mendis 87*, Kamindu Mendis 40*; Arafat Minhas 1-26) by 8 wickets.
