LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and elected to field in a crucial cricket ODI tri-series match against host Pakistan on Tuesday.
Pakistan has already qualified for Saturday’s final with three successive wins, including an epic one-wicket victory against England on the back of Shadab Khan’s unbeaten century last Sunday.
The stakes are high for Sri Lanka, which could eliminate England from the race for the final if it beats Pakistan.
Sri Lanka, which lost the opening game to Pakistan by 37 runs, shocked England in the last game in a 859-run thriller at Rawalpindi, where it completed the second-highest ever successful run chase in an ODI.
Pakistan made two changes and brought in Maaz Sadaqat in place of out-of-form opening batter Saim Ayub, who has been released from the squad.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah recovered from finger injury and returned for Razaullah, who took two wickets in his debut ODI in the last game.
Sri Lanka retained the same playing XI which won its previous game.
Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (captain), Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
Pakistan: Maaz Sadaqat, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saad Baig, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.
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Sri Lanka's Janith Liyanage, second left, celebrates with teammates after playing a winning run during the tri-series one-day international cricket match between Sri Lanka and England, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Abishek Sharma blasted an extraordinary 113 from 38 balls Tuesday as India needed only 13.2 overs to chase down a target of 198-3 and beat New Zealand by six wickets in the third Twenty20 cricket international.
In one of the most remarkable displays of power hitting in T20 history, Abishek put on 133 for the first wicket with teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who hit 45 from 19 balls, helping India take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
New Zealand knew when it made 198-3 after being sent in to bat that it likely hadn't set a target to test the depth of India's batting lineup.
But it couldn't have imagined the onslaught that was about to follow, which saw India reach 100 in five overs and 118 in the six-over power play, the best by any nation in T20s.
Abishek reached his half century from just 15 balls — the third fastest by an India batter in T20s — and his hundred from 35 balls with 10 sixes and seven fours.
“I think the key was pretty simple,” Abishek said. "Me and Vaibhav were just going to enjoy ourselves for a bit in the power play.
“When we were fielding we were observing the pitch. There was a bit of extra bounce, and with the dimensions of the ground we could use the power play and the pace of the ball. The plan was just get momentum for the team.”
Sooryavanshi set the onslaught in motion when, promoted to open ahead of Sanju Samson, he hit a four from the first ball of the innings and six from the third as India took 26 runs from the first over.
India was 43 after two overs, 64 after three and Abishek went to his half century in the fourth over with consecutive sixes off Kyle Jamieson.
With 16 runs from the fifth over, Abishek and Sooryavanshi brought up a century partnership which included eight fours and nine sixes. Another 18 runs came from the sixth over to leave India 118-0.
Sooryavanshi finally was out to the first ball of the eighth over, caught in the deep by Daryl Mitchell off Matthew Fisher. Abishek went on to his century with a four from Kyle Jamieson, pausing to pray while the crowd gave him a raucous standing ovation. He was out three balls later.
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell made a T20-best unbeaten 89 and gave impetus to the New Zealand innings in partnerships of 86 for the second wicket with Finn Allen and 75, unbroken, for the last wicket with Bevon Jacobs.
But New Zealand again was frustrated by India's accurate bowling at the death and took only 52 runs from the last five overs.
New Zealand has had wickets in hand at the end of its innings in all three matches in the series, losing only four wickets in the first match and five in the second. With those wickets in hand, they might have been more adventurous in the final overs.
Allen made 40 from 25 balls and Jacobs 39 not out from 23 balls.
There were 26 sixes in the match and 28 fours.
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India's Tilak Varma, third right, shakes hands with New Zealand's players after winning the second T20 cricket international between New Zealand and India in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
