Kusal Mendis' 87* — The Story of Dew in Sri Lanka's Consolatory Win at Rawalpindi

As Kusal Mendis's bat sent the ball racing towards the boundary in the final overs of the third T20I at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, a section of the local supporters had already left the stands. But those who stayed witnessed a special moment — Sri Lanka's 8-wicket win, a result that changed nothing in the series' overall picture, yet told a story of its own. The context was clear: Pakistan had already sealed the series 2-1 after two matches. The third was a dead rubber — regardless of the result, the series' fate was unchanged. But that's the beauty of cricket — every match creates its own narrative. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, and Sri Lanka sent them in. In the powerplay, Pakistan reached 34/0 in 3 overs — a strong start. But Eshan Malinga's double-wicket maiden completely changed the momentum. Fakhar Zaman was caught at cover off the first ball, and Maaz Sadaqat was out for a duck three balls later. In the middle overs, Sri Lanka's bowlers kept the pressure on, and by the 14th over, Pakistan were 102/6. Then Sahibzada Farhan and Arafat Minhas fought to take the team to 168. Kusal Mendis's innings was the most talked-about aspect of the match. 87* off 48 balls — a strike rate of around 181. He reached his fifty off 33 balls, then finished explosively on a dew-soaked pitch. But the truth is, he was dropped on 64 by Sufyan Moqim off his own bowling. Without that drop, the final 23 runs wouldn't have come so easily. Dasun Shanaka's 3/21 was the most decisive bowling spell of the match. With slower balls, he dismissed Nafay, Randhawa, and Abdul Samad in three consecutive overs, breaking Pakistan's middle order. Eshan Malinga's double-wicket maiden had already changed the game's direction in the powerplay. On the other hand, Sahibzada Farhan's consistency was the biggest positive of the series — three consecutive fifties and the Player of the Series award. One thing is clear from the analysis: Pakistan's middle order is fragile against spin and slower balls. Behind Farhan's three fifties lies a middle-order collapse to 102/6 — a deep concern. On the other hand, Sri Lanka's win came with the help of dew — in the second innings, the ball became slippery and batting became easier. So it would be wise not to see this win as a 'momentum shift'. But the most important question is: where is the real value of this match? Is Kusal Mendis's form real, or a product of dew and the drop? Can Farhan convert his fifties into match-winning innings? And can Pakistan's middle order overcome this weakness in the next series? The answers to these questions will be revealed in the coming series.