Kusal Mendis Blasts Unbeaten 87 as Sri Lanka Stun Pakistan by Eight Wickets in 3rd T20I

Sri Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis spearheaded a clinical run chase on Tuesday, smashing a blistering unbeaten 87 off just 48 deliveries to steer his side to an emphatic eight-wicket consolation victory over Pakistan in the third Twenty20 International. The dominant triumph at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium prevented a clean sweep for the hosts, who had already wrapped up the three-match bilateral series by winning the opening two fixtures.

Chasing a competitive target of 169, Sri Lanka made light work of the task, overhauling the total with ease to finish on 172 for 2 in just 17.1 overs. The visitors sealed the result with 17 balls to spare, riding on a sensational, unbroken 98-run partnership for the third wicket between captain Kusal and fellow southpaw Kamindu Mendis, who dismantled the Pakistani bowling attack in front of a stunned home crowd.

Kusal led from the front with a commanding knock laden with nine boundaries and four towering sixes. The captain tore into the Pakistani bowlers with a breathtaking combination of powerful drives, deft improvisation, and massive hits down the ground, punishing any lapse in length and denying the home side an opportunity to exert scoreboard pressure.

At the other end, Kamindu offered rock-solid support, anchoring the partnership with an unbeaten 40 off 27 balls decorated with four crisp boundaries. Once both batters settled, the visitors never appeared in trouble, ruthlessly maintaining a scoring rate in excess of 10 runs per over throughout the latter half of the innings to take the contest completely away from Pakistan.

Despite the setback in the final game, Pakistan lifted the series trophy 2-1 on the back of their comprehensive victories earlier in the week. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will take immense confidence from their composed batting performance as they conclude the white-ball leg on a high.