SHARJAH: Medium pacer Hasan Ali grabbed three wickets to celebrate his rise to the top of the rankings as Pakistan downed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the fourth day-night One-day International here on Friday.

Hasan took 3-37 while spinners Shadab Khan (2-29) and Imad Wasim (2-13) also chipped in with useful wickets as Sri Lanka were skittled out for 173 in 43.4 overs.

Only Lahiru Thirimanne resisted with a 94-ball 62 on a flat pitch at Sharjah stadium on which Babar Azam scored a stroke filled 69 not out and Shoaib Malik matched him, also with an unbeaten 69, to help Pakistan overhaul the low target in 39 overs.

Despite Pakistan losing three early wickets, the target was never out of reach as Babarand Malik shared an unbroken 119-run fourth-wicket stand.

Malik smashed Milinda Siriwardana for a boundary and a six to seal the victory.

He hit three sixes in all and two boundaries in his 81-ball knock while Babar, who had scored successive hundreds in the first two matches, had five boundaries off 101 balls.

Pakistan lost Imam-ul-Haq for two after his debut hundred in the last match while Fakhar Zaman fell for 17 and Mohammad Hafeez made nine.

This was Pakistan’s eighth consecutive win which also included their Champions Trophy triumph in England in June while Sri Lanka succumbed to their 11th consecutive ODI defeat.

The fifth and final match is also in Sharjah on Monday.

Earlier, Sri Lanka got off to a disastrous start when their in-form skipper Upul Tharanga was bowled by debutant left-arm pacer Usman Shinwari for nought off his second delivery.

Shinwari was one of two changes Pakistan made from the third one-dayer which they won by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi. Also brought back was Imad. They replaced Fahim Ashraf and Rumman Raees.

Sri Lanka had made three changes, with Sadeera Samara­wickrama making his debut.

Another left-armer Junaid Khan ended Niroshan Dickwella’s enterprising 16-ball 22, studded with three boundaries and a six, while Dinesh Chandimal was run out for 16.

Samarawickrama lasted just two balls without scoring before Thirimanne and Siriwardana (13) added 32 for the sixth wicket.

Shadab then removed Seekuge Prasanna (five) and Thisara Perera off successive deliveries before Hasan came into his wicket-taking acts.

Hasan broke a resolute eighth-wicket stand of 43 between Thiri­manne and Akila Dananjaya (18) before Imad ended Thirmianne’s resistance in the 41st over.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

N. Dickwella c Fakhar b Junaid 22
W.U. Tharanga b Usman 0
L.D. Chandimal run out 16
H.D.R.L. Thirimanne c Babar b Imad 62
S. Samarawickrama b Imad 0
T.A.M. Siriwardana c Usman b Hasan 13
S. Prasanna b Shadab 5
N.L.T.C. Perera c Babar b Shadab 0
A. Dananjaya c Sarfraz b Hasan 18
R.A.S. Lakmal not out 23
P.L.S. Gamage b Hasan 1

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-8) 13

TOTAL (all out, 43.4 overs) 173

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-30, 3-59, 4-59, 5-91, 6-99, 7-99, 8-142, 9-164.

BOWLING: Junaid Khan 4-0-22-1; Usman Khan Shinwari 6.3-0-38-1 (2w); Imad Wasim 7-0-13-2 (1w); Mohammad Hafeez 9.3-1-29-0; Hasan Ali 8.4-0-37-3; Shadab Khan 8-0-29-2 (1w).

PAKISTAN:

Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Gamage 2
Fakhar Zaman st Dickwella b Dananjaya 17
Babar Azam not out 69
Mohammad Hafeez c Gamage b Prasanna 9
Shoaib Malik not out 69

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-9) 11

TOTAL (for three wkts, 39 overs) 177

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-37, 3-58.

DID NOT BAT: Sarfraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari.

BOWLING: Lakmal 7-0-25-0 (1w); Gamage 5-0-27-1 (1w); Dananjaya 8-1-29-1 (1w); Prasanna 10-0-44-1; Perera 4-0-16-0; Siriwardana 5-0-34-0 (1w).

RESULT: Pakistan won by seven wickets to lead five-match series 4-0.

UMPIRES: Shozab Raza (Pakistan) and R.A. Kettleborough (England).

TV UMPIRE: S. Ravi (India).

MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Babar Azam.

FIFTH MATCH: Sharjah (D/N), Monday.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2017