Sri Lanka turned Tuesday's match into a one-sided finish, routing Pakistan by eight wickets to secure a place in Saturday's one-day international tri-series final. The result also shut England out of the final race, even though Pakistan had already done enough earlier to book their own place in the title match.
For the searchers looking at South Korea Vs Pakistan, the reason this result mattered was simple: it decided the final lineup. Sri Lanka chased down the target with more than 31 overs to spare after Pakistan were bowled out for 110, and that was enough to send Sri Lanka into the final against Pakistan while England were left without a route back in.
Dilshan Madushanka was the main force behind the collapse, taking a career-best five for 34 as Pakistan's innings unraveled from the start. Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to field, and the decision paid off quickly as wickets kept falling before Pakistan could build anything lasting. The final total never looked enough once Sri Lanka got control of the chase.
Kamindu Mendis then made the response look even more straightforward. He finished unbeaten on 62 off 60 balls after being dropped by Saad Baig before he had scored, a miss that Pakistan could not afford. He later overturned an on-field lbw decision on review when he was on 44, and he struck eight fours and two sixes on the way to closing out the match.
The twist is that Pakistan had already qualified for the final by beating England twice, including a one-wicket win on Sunday, and had also handed Sri Lanka a 37-run defeat in the opening game. But Tuesday's result changed the tournament anyway, because England's chances still depended on Sri Lanka losing. Instead, Sri Lanka won, England were eliminated, and the last two matches now serve different purposes: Sri Lanka play England in a dead rubber on Thursday at the Gaddafi Stadium, then return for the final on Saturday.
That leaves Sri Lanka with momentum and Pakistan with a final place already secured, while England are left watching a tournament they can no longer reach the end of.
