Clinical Pakistan whitewash Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

Pakistan's Mohammad Wasim (L) celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kamil Mishara (R) during the third one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on November 16, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 16 November 2025
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Clinical Pakistan whitewash Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

  • Rizwan scored an unbeaten 61 and opener Fakhar Zaman knocked 55 to guide Pakistan past their target of 212 in 44.4 overs
  • Fast bowler Wasim earlier took 3-47, while pacer Haris Rauf and spinner Faisal Akram took two apiece to bowl out Sri Lanka

Rawalpindi: Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Wasim starred as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the third and final ODI on Sunday, claiming the series 3-0.

Rizwan scored an unbeaten 61 and opener Fakhar Zaman knocked 55 to guide Pakistan past their target of 212 in 44.4 overs.

Fast bowler Wasim earlier took 3-47, while pace partner Haris Rauf and spinner Faisal Akram took two apiece to bowl out Sri Lanka on a slow-paced Rawalpindi Stadium pitch.

This becomes Pakistan's fourth consecutive ODI series win over Sri Lanka, having beaten them in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Pakistan did lose opener Haseebullah Khan for a duck but Babar Azam joined Zaman to put 74 runs for the second wicket with both dominating the bowling.

Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay brought Sri Lanka back in the game by removing Zaman, Azam (34) and Salman Agha (six) in the space of 33 runs.

But Rizwan and Hussain Talat, who scored 42 not out, dove Pakistan past the target and to 215-4 during their unbroken 100-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Zaman hit eight boundaries while the usually-swashbuckling Rizwan played an anchoring knock which featured just four hits to the rope.

Vandersay finished with 3-42 but did not get any support from the other bowlers.

For Pakistan skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi it was his second series win as captain after beating South Africa 2-1 earlier this month.

"I think winning a series gives great happiness," said Shaheen. "We bowled well in this series so it's nice for the future."

His Sri Lankan counterpart, Kusal Mendis, rued his own side's performance with the bat, however.

"The top five got good starts but did not go on long and we did not get a big total which cost us badly," said Mendis.

Sri Lanka lost the first two ODIs in Rawalpindi and started the final match on a bad note when skipper Charith Asalanka was ruled out with a fever.

Sadeera Samarawickrama, who top-scored with 48, added 43 for the third wicket with stand-in captain Kusal Mendis (34), but the innings then fell away badly.

Pathum Nissanka scored 24 and Kamil Mishara made 29 but both openers were dismissed in quick succession by the combination of Rauf and Wasim.

Akram, playing his first international in a year, dismissed Kamindu Mendis for 10 and then Samarawickrama as the tourists slumped from 143-4 to 193-8.

Debutant Pavan Rathnayake hit a fighting 32 with a six and two boundaries before he was the last man to go, run-out trying to grab a quick second.

The three-match series was overshadowed by security fears following Tuesday's suicide bombing in Islamabad, which killed 12 people and wounded dozens.

The second ODI was delayed by a day after several Sri Lankan players considered abandoning the tour over safety concerns.

But the Pakistan Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket managed to convince the players to stay with enhanced security measures.

The two sides will next engage in a T20 tri-series alongside Zimbabwe, beginning November 18.

 


Lovesick Blues looking for better showing in Riyadh Dirt Sprint

Updated 11 February 2026
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Lovesick Blues looking for better showing in Riyadh Dirt Sprint

  • Having finished sixth in Breeders’ Cup, the sprinter goes again for trainer Librado Barocio

RIYADH: Mia Familia Racing Stable’s hard-knocking American sprinter Lovesick Blues (US) will bid to atone for a luckless Breeders’ Cup run in Saturday’s group two $2-million Riyadh Dirt Sprint Presented by Saudi National Bank.

Trainer Librado Barocio’s grey son of Grazen is part of a formidable US trio for the race that includes group two Santa Anita Sprint Championship winner Imagination (US) and group three Elite Power Stakes winner Just Beat the Odds (US).

The nine-time winner from 43 starts was last seen finishing sixth in the group one Breeders’ Cup Sprint after a tough trip.

“After the Breeders’ Cup I was always dreaming of coming to places like Saudi Arabia and Dubai,” Barocio said.

“He got a really bad trip in the Breeders’ Cup. He got squeezed and was left like 10 lengths behind, but then he started really closing. Unfortunately, then he couldn’t find room.

“He had to keep going inside and outside of horses down the stretch and in the end gets beat by about six lengths for the whole thing. He came back after the race and he was mad.

“After the Breeders’ Cup I said, ‘you know what, let’s focus on the big races and see what he can do,’ and that’s what we’re doing. He’s got an attitude, which I like, and he has his quirks. You just have to know him and I know he’s doing great.”

Lovesick Blues continued his preparation with a proper leg-stretcher around the King Abdulaziz Racecourse dirt track on Sunday morning with exercise rider Danny Ramsey in the saddle.

“I’m excited and was happy with that,” Barocio said.

“I like to give him a little open gallop for a couple furlongs to give him a feel for the track and let his muscles get loose. I like the way he did that and I like that he was on his toes coming off the track. He’s something else. All signs point to a great day, hopefully, so far.”

Climbing his way up gradually from the claiming ranks, though the allowance conditions, and ultimately becoming an earner of $830,000, it now seems that Lovesick Blues is at his peak at age 8.

“He’s ready to go,” Barocio said. “I won’t do much more with him. He will have a couple of easy days and jog on the training track, then come to the main track another day, then jog on the small track the day before the race.

“Before coming here, he had some really good works and I think I have him ready. Danny said he’s really liking the track, so all we can do is pray at this point and keep dreaming.”