Pakistan made a grand final wrap up after triumphing Sri Lanka by six wickets in a T20 tri-series final hosted in Rawalpindi. Not only was it a silverware winner but also a marker in an otherwise historic year, since Pakistan recorded its best number of T20 wins in a calendar year.
The Sri Lankan, who was dispatched to the bat, seemed at the very outset not at his ease. Shaheen Afridi was too quick with his swing and got three very important wickets, which was too much to resist the top order.
Mohammad Nawaz then waded through the middle order sharing scalps as well. The combination of their brilliance reduced Sri Lanka to a poor 114 in 19.1 overs. The only blemish on the visitors was a gallant 59 off 47 by Kamil Mishara who hit four sixes to bring his side an attainable total.
The pursuit of Pakistan was calculated and precise. The initial pair of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan provided an initial thrust with an assertive performance. Their contributions saw to it that Pakistan remained above the asking rate. Captain Babar Azam played the middle overs in a typical stoic manner with a unique steady knock of 37 out of 34 to pace the innings to the dot when the side crossed the finish line with eight balls left to play in the innings.
The total number of wins at the end of the year 21/34 matches places Pakistan above their records of 20 wins in 2021 and 17 wins in 2018. The record indicates the time of reconstructing, strategic adjustment, and the appearance of new talents that smoothly become the part of the team.
According to some commentators of cricket, the victory indicates an increased stability of Pakistan in the short-form. The top-order batting and the bowling have evolved and the depth and versatility are the strengths.
