Sri Lanka need just one win from their remaining two matches to secure a place in the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series final, where unbeaten Pakistan awaits.
Pakistan have already sealed their spot with three wins from three, while England are winless and are on the brink of elimination.
Sri Lanka meets Pakistan in a second round league match at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium today and a win will seal their spot in the final regardless of the result of their final league game against England on Thursday.
Sri Lanka’s first meeting with Pakistan ended in a 37-run defeat. It was a match which they should have won, but for a lack of common-sense thinking on the part of their batsmen, they lost it. Since then Sri Lanka have come back strongly with a sensational two-wicket win against England chasing down a record score of 430.
That win should certainly inspire Sri Lanka to push for a win against Pakistan at a venue which is of historic importance. It was here exactly 30 years ago that Sri Lanka cricket came of age when they won the Cricket World Cup beating Australia in the final.
For England without a win after three matches to have any chance of qualifying for the final, they will need Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka in today’s game and then they must defeat Sri Lanka in their final league match. Net run rate will then decide who qualifies for the final.
What a memorable ODI Tri-Series this is turning out to be. First it was Sri Lanka chasing down 430 – the second highest chase in ODI history. On Monday, it was England who scored 400+ in their last game and despite being kept under 250, looked like sure winners, only to see the game snatched away in the most unbelievable manner – Pakistan winning by one wicket.
Shadab Khan did the unthinkable. Under intense pressure, with Haris Rauf holding one end, Shadab single-handedly snatched a victory that no one thought was possible. A record last wicket partnership of 89 where Rauf’s contribution was only 7, and the rest was all Shadab’s. In a knock for all ages Shadab scored 113* off 96 balls (13 fours, 5 sixes) creating history on the way to the highest score ever by a number 8 batter in ODI cricket.
It was the 79th instance in ODI cricket history that a team has won a match by one wicket. Sri Lanka has been involved in four of them – 1999 v England, 2010 v Australia, 2015 v West Indies, 2020 v West Indies, and Pakistan in nine.
‘It would be nice if these experiences were winning games…’ said England’s white ball head coach Brendon McCullum. He admitted that his team needed to improve after three successive defeats, leaving them on the brink of elimination.
‘We’ve been open to admit we need to get better and get experience into these guys,’ McCullum said, reflecting on England’s inability to close out matches from promising positions. ‘It would be nice if these experiences were winning games from positions like we’ve found ourselves in the last three. But it’s not the case.’
‘The boys are gutted, they were gutted after the last game and they are more gutted after this one. Fought so hard for so long, found a way to be put under pressure again. We have a game in a couple of days’ time, another opportunity to try and win a game for England.’
With next winter’s ODI World Cup approaching, McCullum’s plans for England will face serious questions. There is still time to address the weaknesses, but the recent defeats have exposed problems that cannot be ignored.