Pakistan saw off Sri Lanka for the second ODI on the trot in Abu Dhabi on Monday and that means when they two sides meet in the third game of the five on the same ground on Wednesday they can secure the series with two matches to spare with a third straight win.
Sri Lanka should have won at least one of the two matches but have little to show for their efforts and have to win here to keep the series alive from a competitive standpoint.
Pakistan
There was certainly nothing brilliant about Pakistan’s batting performance in the second ODI but the luxury their batting unit has is they don’t have to put up the scores some sides have to because their bowling attack is so good. That said there will be times when their bowlers are unable to deliver so they should not get into bad habits with the bat.
In truth Pakistan have put up two low key scores in the series so far but both have been comfortably enough to land the series. I guess the acid test to that batting line up will come if and when they are forced to chase and need to chase down something bordering significant. Whether that is here or not remains to be seen.
Sri Lanka
It is hard to know what Sri Lanka might be thinking heading into this match. They kicked off the series with so much positivity going through them after their excellent wins in the Tests but two pretty lame efforts have seen them revert to the form that they took to the UAE with them. They need a big effort from someone here.
To be fair to the Sri Lanka bowlers apart from being unable to get Babar Azam under pressure they are doing a decent enough job but they are getting no support from their batting unit. Individuals have dug in at times but as a collective they are not batting well. They lose wickets softly and in bunches which is not good.
Team News
Pakistan may well decide to get the series won before they begin tinkering with their side and having played an unchanged team thus far a third successive unchanged unit could take the field.
Sri Lanka offered much more in the previous match and other than to adjust their batting line up it is hard to see what more they could offer. If they don’t make changes to the batting then they could be unchanged.
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Betting
With this third match taking place at the same ground as the second one we have more to go at here but I’m still not sure I trust either batting unit with my money. By virtue of the fact they are bowling brilliantly I’d favour Pakistan to win the game but I don’t trust them to chase a score without given me plenty of scares.
The obvious bet here is for there to be fewer than 504.5 runs. Both matches so far in the series have been under that line and had it not been for the Babar and Shadab rescue act in the previous match the total would have finished 200 under this line. It is hard to see runs suddenly flowing and with both batting line ups having a flimsy side to them this line looks too high.
Tips
WON – Back Under 504.5 runs for a 5/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
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