Usman Shinwari’s maiden fiver leads Pakistan’s whitewash of Sri Lanka
Pakistan Cricket Team has whitewashed Sri Lanka in the five-match One Day International series in Sharjah, it’s Pakistan’s first 5-0 win against any team since 2008.
Pakistan achieved a convincing nine-wicket win in the 5th and final match for a 5-0 clean sweep of the series played in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in final ODI match, left-arm paceman Usman Shinwari destroyed Sri Lanka with a maiden five-wicket haul to help Pakistan to restrict Lankan beating to 103 in 26.2 over.
Only Thisara Perera (25), Lahiru Thirimanne (19), Seekuge Prasanna (16) and Dushmantha Chameera (11) reached double figures in an abysmal batting performance by Sri Lanka, their second-lowest total in an ODI against Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan easily achieved 103 for loss of one wicket, openers Fakhar Zaman (48) and Imam-ul-Haq (45 not out) knocked off the paltry target in 20.2 overs.
Usman Khan Shinwari whose is playing second ODI, his wickets coming off just 21 balls, third fastest to get five wickets in an ODI history and declared man of the final ODI match.
“The team environment is great, which helps us youngsters,” said man-of-the-match Shinwari.
This is Pakistan’s sixth whitewash in a five-match ODI series and Pakistan’s first-ever on the UAE land. They had blanked Zimbabwe (2002 and 2008), Bangladesh (2003 and 2008) and New Zealand in 2003 in the past.
Pakistan bagged their ninth consecutive win in ODIs, following on from their successful winning since Champions Trophy in June 2017.
Sri Lanka’s poor run in limited-overs continued this year under captain Upul Tharanga. South Africa and India had earlier routed Sri Lanka 5-0 and the country has now lost 12 ODIs in a row.
The two teams now play a three-match Twenty20 international series, the first two in Abu Dhabi on October 26 and 27 while the last in Lahore on October 29.