All-round Pakistan completes series sweep in Lahore

Pakistan celebrated the return of big-time international cricket to the country with a victory over Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the third and final Twenty20 International amidst exhilarating scenes and tight security at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.

The win gave Pakistan its second 3-0 whitewash in a T20I series, the first coming against Windies in UAE last year.

With Pakistan winning the first two matches played in Abu Dhabi, the final match was highlighted by Sri Lanka’s return to the city where the team had been attacked by gunmen in March 2009. Those attacks, which left eight people dead and seven Sri Lanka players and staff injured, meant international cricket in Pakistan was suspended, and the team played its home matches in the UAE.

As part of efforts to revive cricket in the country, Pakistan had hosted Zimbabwe for a five-match limited over series in 2015 followed by the final of the Pakistan Super League and a three-match T20I series with a World XI comprising of players from seven countries -- both this year.

Najam Sethi, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, termed the match ‘historic’.

"It's a great honour and a great pleasure to welcome the honourable president of Sri Lanka Cricket and his team led by Thisara Perera to Pakistan. This is really a historic occasion. Nine years ago there was a tragedy which we wish to forget and this is the beginning of that journey of moving on," said Sethi.

Thilanga Sumathipala, the SLC president, vowed his board would not leave Pakistan in isolation. "We are happy and privileged to be here to support Pakistan cricket," said Sumathipala. "It's a wonderful cricketing nation. Pakistan has done so much for world cricket and to sports in general so we cannot leave them in isolation."

On the field, Pakistan had a blistering 57-run opening stand in the first eight overs with Umar Amin and Fakhar Zaman (31) hitting aggressive shots. Sri Lanka’s bowlers were clueless against the two left-handers. Amin's 37-ball knock had one six and three boundaries as he justified his first chance in place of the off-colour Ahmed Shehzad.

Once the openers were gone, Shoaib Malik and Babar Azam gave some real impetus to the innings. Malik, the only player from both sides to have featured in the fateful 2009 Test series which ended after the attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus, enjoyed the occasion with a 24-ball 51. One of his two sixes took him to fifty, and he added 75 for the third wicket with Azam in just 45 balls. Azam finished with a 31-ball 34. Faheem Ashraf smashed two sixes in his 13 as Pakistan took 23 runs in the last over bowled by Vikum Sanjaya to reach 180 for 3.

Then Mohammad Amir, the pace spearhead, celebrated his first international match at home with a career best 4 for 13 in his four overs as Sri Lanka was restricted to 144 for 9 in their 20 overs.

Ashraf took two wickets and Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals, with only Dasun Shanaka chipping in with a 36-ball 54 with five boundaries and three sixes.