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Skipper Kusal Mendis led from the front to enable Sri Lanka deny Pakistan whitewash when they crafted an eight-wicket win over the hosts in the third and final T20I on Tuesday.
Despite the loss Green-shirts sealed the series 2-1.
At the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi Mendis struck an unbeaten 87 off 48 balls as Sri Lanka chased the 169-run target in 17.1 overs after losing two wickets.
Earlier, Sahibzada Farhan hit a superb 76 to propel Pakistan to 168-8 in the allotted 20 overs.
After losing Lahiru Udara (1) cheaply Mendis took the centre stage and catapulted his side to a great win following two back-to-back losses.
Mendis, who brought in his fifty off 33 balls, smashed
four sixes and nine fours in his excellent unbeaten knock.
He added 59 runs off 41 balls for the second wicket stand with Sineth Jayawardena who fell for 26-ball 38, striking five fours and two sixes. Mendis then shared 98 runs for the third wicket unbroken partnership with Kamindu Mendis to make his side home safely.
Kamindu hit 40 not out off 27 balls with four fours.
Mohammad Imran and Arafat Minhas got one wicket each.
After being put into bat first Farhan found himself in tough situation as wickets kept falling at regular intervals at the other end. However he stood like a rock and took his team to a fighting total in the end.
He brought in his 13th fifty of his career off 34 balls and hammered seven fours and three sixes in his 47-ball knock.
He added 66 runs off 37 balls for the seventh-wicket stand with Arafat Minhas who chipped in with brilliant 20-ball 34 not out, hammering two sixes and two fours.
Dasun Shanaka was the pick of the Sri Lanka’s bowlers who claimed 3-31 in his quota of four overs.
Eshan Malinga, who ripped through Pakistan’s top order, captured 2-38 in his four overs.
Nuwan Thushara got 2-38 in four.
After being invited to bat first Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan provided a brisk start to Pakistan, scoring 34 off 19 balls.
Medium-pacer Eshan Malinga provided breakthrough to Sri Lanka when he removed Fakhar Zaman (12) and inform Maaz Sadaqat (0) in a single over to put his team ahead.
Fakhar, who wanted to hit it hard, but only edged it to third man fiddler Lahiru Udara.
He struck one six and one four from seven balls.
Maaz, who had hit fifties in his previous two games, was held at mid-off by Chamindu Wickramasinghe.
Sri Lanak kept Pakistan under check. Leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth then got rid of Hasan Nawaz (16), held excellently at long-on boundary to leave the hosts at 67-3 in the ninth over.
Hasan smashed two fours from 17 balls.
Dasun Shanaka then sent Khawaja Nafay (3) back, who handed an easy catch to the backward point fielder when he came down the wicket but failed to middle it.
Shanaka then had Mohammad Imran Randhawa (6) and Abdul Samad (15) in quick succession to leave Pakistan gasping at 107-6 in the 15th over. Samad smacked two fours and a six from ten balls.
However Farhan and Arafat then did well to boost the total.
Pakistan made four changes, bringing in Sufiyan Moqim, Abdul Samad, Razaullah and Arafat Minhas. Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed were rested.
On October 9 Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets when they chased the 183-run target with seven balls to spare.
In the second clash on October 9 Pakistan downed Sri Lanka by 82 runs to seal series.
Now from October 18 Pakistan will host ODI tri-series, also involving England to kick-start their preparations for the next year’s World Cup which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
