Sri Lanka have set a 298-run target for Pakistan to chase in the third and final ODI at the National Stadium Karachi.

Danushka Gunathilaka and Avishka Fernando opened the innings for Sri Lanka whereas Mohammad Amir and Usman Shinwari shared the new ball for Pakistan.

Amir struck the first blow in just the third over, making Fernando (4) nick one back to Sarfaraz Ahmed at the total score of 13.

Unlike the second ODI, the early setback did not result in a spree of wickets as  Gunathilaka and Lahiru Thirimanne stabilised the Sri Lankan ship and took the side to  a decent 74-1 at the end of 15 overs.

The impressive Gunathilaka completed his 50 in the  17th over as the stumps microphone caught plenty of Sarfaraz’s frustrated comments.

The elusive second wicket finally came in the 20th over when captain Thirimanne (36) was out caught-and-bowled by Mohammad Nawaz.

At the halfway mark, Sri Lanka were 122-2, with Gunathilaka eyeing a century for himself and a big score for the hosts.

The fourth Sri Lankan wicket fell to Shinwari who had Angelo Perera (13) caught at midwicket.

Gunathilaka brought up his 100-ball 100 in the 32nd over and hit Amir for a four over the bowler’s head. It was just his second career ODI ton.

With 15 overs left, Sri Lanka were 178-3 and eyeing a strong finish, thanks to all the wickets in hand. The 200 came up in the 39th over.

Haris Sohail dropped the easiest of Gunathilaka’s catches in the 42nd over but Iftikhar Ahmed made no such mistakes when  Shehan Jayasuriya skied one in the very next over. Sri Lanka were five down at this stage but with Gunathilaka at the crease, a 300-run score was still not out of reach.

Gunathilaka, the danger man, however, had his stumps shattered by Amir in the 45th over.  He departed having scored 133 runs off 134 balls and leaving his side down six.

Some more wickets tumbled but Dasun Shanka’s 43-run cameo, which ended on the final ball of the innings, made sure that Sri Lanka finished at a respectable 297-9.

Source: The News International