Twitter explodes as the visitors surrender to Pakistan once again

Venues changed, the team changed a little bit, but fate hasn’t and hence, Pakistan once again managed to restrict Sri Lanka to a paltry total. After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Pakistan ensured the visitors kept dancing according to their tunes. Sri Lanka’s dismal show means that they are well on their way towards registering their 11th defeat in a row.

Debutant Usman Khan provided the initial breakthrough for his side, sending back the big fish Upul Tharanga for a duck. Niroshan Dickwella looked in good touch as the youngster grabbed a few boundaries to get going, but once again in the series, he failed to convert the start into a big one. He tried to dance down the ground off Junaid Khan and managed to slice the ball towards covers, where Fakhar Zaman took a simple catch.

The game turned upside down when Chandimal ram himself out courtesy a misunderstanding between him and Thirimanne. In the same over, debutant Sadeera Samarawickrama was dismissed by Imad Wasim for a duck and they were reduced to 59/4 in 11 overs. Thirimanne was the lone star of the innings for Sri Lanka as he chipped in with a crucial 62 off 94 balls.

Thirimanne holds on with the tail

For the next ten overs, the flurry of wickets stopped but once Milinda Siriwardana go dismissed, they lost another two wickets in quick succession and they were in a predicament at 99/7. Thirimanne took great charge of the innings from here on and though he ensured the scoreboard kept ticking, the run rate was too low and there was nothing he could do.

He did a brilliant job batting with Akila Dananjaya and they found themselves at 142/7 in 35 overs. If they would’ve tried to stick in there for the remaining overs, a score of above 200 would’ve been on cards but that didn’t happen. Hasan Ali once again damaged their lower order and proved his status as a champion in the death overs. Sri Lanka got bundled out 173 in 43.4 overs and Hasan Ali was the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 3/37.

Here’s how Twitter reacted.

8th consecutive time ?? restricted opposition less than 250

173 v ??
208 v ??
187 v ??
209 v ??
158 v ??
211 v ??
236 v ??
219 v ??#PakvSL

— Ahsan. ?? (@iPakistaniLAD) October 20, 2017

3 wickets for @RealHa55an just another day at the office for him. Number 1 bowler in the world. Another congratulations moment! #PAKvSL

— Usama Mir (@iamusamamir) October 20, 2017

The Sharjah Cricket Ground serves the best mixed tea,also a personal fav from a covering perspective,best crowd in always! #pakvsl

— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) October 20, 2017

team totals against Pakistan last 8 Odis.
173
208
187
209/8
158
211
236
219/8
Hassan Ali taken at least 3 wkts in all these matches#PAKvSL

— ?? (@nomikkings) October 20, 2017

Most wickets after 25 ODIs:
59 A Menids
54 HASAN ALI
53 M McClenaghan
51 D Lillee/ S Warne/ A Agarkar/ M Henry#PAKvSL

— Waqar Younis (@TheWaqarViki) October 20, 2017

Luckiest #cricket fan in the world.
Can greet n meet the team in the dressing room. #selfie#PakvSL pic.twitter.com/PZZfQF2fq0

— Annus Raza (@annusraza) October 20, 2017

24 wkts in last 8 odis for @RealHa55an just brilliant bowling and even better celebration #PAKvSL

— Usman Ramzan (@usmanpak55) October 20, 2017

Hasan Ali in his last 8 ODIs

Six 3 wicket hauls
One 1 wicket haul
One 5 wicket haul
24 wickets #No1 #PAKvSL

— CricBlog (@cric_blog) October 20, 2017

No matter how bad a total that 173 from Sri Lanka looks, you won't find many rushing to back Pakistan at 1.04 at the break.#PakvSL

— Mark Iverson (@markyiverson) October 20, 2017

I'm not used to Pakistan games being so one sided
Kinda want a collapse and Shadab and Hassan Ali to take us over the line#PAKvSL

— Hader Ali Akhtar (@HedzCricket) October 20, 2017

On only five occasions has a team scoring 173 or less in the first innings of an ODI at Sharjah, gone onto win #PAKvSL

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) October 20, 2017

Arguably, our bowling unit has the capability of running through any side at any surface. #PakvSL

— Noman. (@BleedGreen45) October 20, 2017

Pakistani bowling is in safe hands for atleast decade :
Hassan Ali.
Shadab Khan.
Amir .
All are still below 25!#PakvSL #SLVPAK

— Encrypted Layman!! (@FreddieFaizan) October 20, 2017

7 3-fers for Hassan in just 8 games, what a legend in making he's. #PAKvSL

— Farooq Qureshi (@farooq221b) October 20, 2017

Pak team have improved immensely in last two years with new talents like @RealHa55an #PAKvSL

— Ronnie Shahzada (@RonnieShahzada) October 20, 2017

Sri Lanka need to find a way to play limited overs cricket. Better test side because of Karunaratne/ Herath & Chandimal better test player

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 20, 2017

Pakistan’s supremacy with the bowl continues.. They’ve developed sucha lethal combo that it is still too hard for Sri Lanka to crack it.

— Sawera Pasha (@sawerapasha) October 20, 2017

Sri Lanka struggle to 173 all out in Sharjah, Thirimanne's 62 the cornerstone of the innings. Will it be an easy chase for Pakistan? #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/FpWVUSNwVX

— ICC (@ICC) October 20, 2017