Madushanka's ODI best blows Pakistan away

Dilshan Madushanka registered his career-best ODI figures of 5 for 34, as Sri Lanka put Pakistan in to bat in Lahore and skittled them out for just 110 - their second-lowest total on home turf. Babar Azam top scored for the hosts with 29 off 33, but only three other batters managed double digits as Sri Lanka's bowlers ran through the Pakistan batting.

Sahan Arachchige, who has had a quiet series thus far, finally sunk his teeth into the contest picking up two wickets, while there was a wicket each for Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga and Dunith Wellalage.

After a tidy couple of opening overs, Madushanka struck first, surprising Fakhar Zaman with a short one that reared up and saw the left-hander only able to fend a soft chance to the onrushing point fielder. The left-arm seamer repeated the trick in his second spell, this time causing Arafat Minhas all sorts of discomfort with a sprightly bouncer that popped up generously off the shoulder of the bat for Kusal Mendis to gobble up eagerly.

That second one brought to an end burgeoning 27-run seventh wicket stand which had been shaping up to somewhat consolidate Pakistan's flagging innings. That partnership between Minhas and Hasan Nawaz saw the last two recognised batters in the middle.

Madushanka's intervention left Nawaz alone to battle it out with the tail, but if the fans at the Gaddafi Stadium had been holding out for a potential repeat of the Pink Sunday heroics, Nawaz proceeded to summarily chip a lofted drive straight to long-off. Pakistan at that point had lost eight wickets with just 91 runs on the board.

The soft nature of these dismissals was a common theme across the innings. Saad Baig fell driving straight to short cover, Salman Agha feathered an attempted dab through to the keeper, and Shadab Khan gloved an attempted sweep that limply dropped into Kusal's gloves.

Shadab, who had been reprieved on Sunday by a review that he was on the verge of not even taking, swiftly put his hands up asking for this one to be checked. Except that Pakistan were out of reviews.

Those reviews had come at the fall of Maaz Sadaqat and Babar; the former courtesy a searing inswinger from Asitha, the latter after Malinga nipped one back in from outside off. Both reviews produced three reds, and only served to rubber-stamp the dreadful day Pakistan were having out in the middle.

Madushanka picked up his fourth of the day when he had Haris Rauf edging behind, as Kamindu Mendis held on excellently at first slip, low to his right. It was the cherry on top of an exceptional Sri Lankan performance in the field, one that had seen players throw themselves about from the very start of the innings.

A pair of late blows from Shaheen Afridi gave the home crowd something to cheer about, but he eventually became Madushanka's final scalp, top-edging a hook down to fine leg.

If Sri Lanka complete the chase as expected, England will be knocked out of final contention.