Pakistan likely to retain Shehzad

ABU DHABI: Pakistan are likely to keep the team unchanged in their third ODI against Sri Lanka here on Wednesday (today), giving Ahmed Shehzad another run despite scores of 0 and 8 in the first two matches.

The batting is a key area of contention and the team that improves its batting will come out on top in the third ODI. It didn’t seem so long ago that Pakistan were considered a modest ODI outfit playing an outdated form of the game. Their batting was too slow, their bowlers not penetrative enough, and their fielding as always below average.

Now, having beaten the world, they have begun to play like world-beaters. It is the newer players that have injected this fresh energy: the likes of Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman who have shaken things up.

On Monday, Babar and Shadab, 23 and 19, respectively, heaved their side to a win in a match they could have lost by a big margin. Having won eight of their last nine ODIs, Pakistan have begun to acquire an aura of indomitability. 

Babar has scored seven tons and six fifties in just 33 ODIs. Among his strengths is that Babar seems to have an innate understanding how to pace a big ODI innings — when to see a tough bowler out, and when to hit out.

These are qualities that batsman often do not develop until they are experienced. With three more potential innings against what has been a poor Sri Lanka attack this year, Babar will aim to swell what is already an impressive average of 57.20.

Pakistan have been praised for defending a low score in unfavorable conditions in the second ODI. The dew set in after around 30 overs, but the pitch became tougher to bat on and the outfield was no longer conducive to ground strokes.

Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed’s foresight regarding this is a major tactical victory over his opponents. He won the toss and batted first, knowing the way things would progress, and he was rewarded for it.

Shadab was undoubtedly the difference between the two sides. His 52 at number 8 saved the Pakistanis. He also took three wickets with the ball. Only one boundary came in his innings of 52, proof of his grit and skill with the bat.

The nine-match losing streak is Sri Lanka’s worst in 30 years. Their bowlers rarely take wickets, and even when they do — as on Monday — the batsmen fail to score the runs. Sri Lanka fell to their second loss of the series as they failed to chase down a target of 220, making an absolute meal of what should have been an easy victory.

Sri Lanka fell to 79-5 in their chance to bat, replicating the 67-5 from the first ODI as they got off to yet another horrendous start. The Sri Lankan captain Upul Tharanga batted valiantly through to the end, reaching his century, but even he seemed to have given up by the last eight or so overs. He scored 112 of the 187 that Sri Lanka managed, and that alone speaks volumes of how bad the Lankans were.

The Lankan bowlers did well to restrict Pakistan to 219 in what was a disciplined effort by their attack. PLS Gamage, the late inductee in the squad, took four wickets to justify his place. NLTC Perera did well to take two wickets and remained economical, conceding 34 runs only.

Pakistan were 101-6, and the bowlers could have wrapped them up for much less than 219, but Shadab frustrated them and helped his side to a total that ultimately proved to be too much for the Lankans. The weather is likely to be hot and humid in Abu Dhabi. The stadium is not typically a high-scoring venue, with 300 having been breached on only three occasions.