Pakistan the clear favourite to win T20 Triangular Struggling Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in knock-out battle

With Pakistan having secured their place in the T20 Tri-Nations cricket final, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will battle it out today in their qualifying round match in Rawalpindi.

For Zimbabwe a win will effectively push out Sri Lanka from a place in Saturday’s final.

For Sri Lanka even a win today is no guarantee of a place in the final with one more match left against Pakistan.

A win against Zimbabwe today and a defeat against Pakistan in the last qualifying match on Thursday will also not be enough for Sri Lanka to enter the final meaning Sri Lanka has to win both games on the trot.

Pakistan undoubtedly look the clear favourite to win Saturday’s final as both Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are nowhere near the current form and strength of the host country’s cricketers who have been playing some superior cricket.

Sri Lanka is yet to win a match on the tour of Pakistan after losing the three-match ODI series 3-0 and two matches, one to Pakistan and the other to Zimbabwe, in the on-going T20 Triangular.

The batting has been the biggest let-down for Sri Lanka that prompted skipper Dasun Shanaka to remark at a post-match interview that his players “had no intent” to play to win.

Not a single Sri Lanka batter has been able to score a half century in the series so far with a score of 41 by Janith Liyanage being the highest in the two matches with Zimbabwe bowling out Sri Lanka for 95 and Pakistan restricting Sri Lanka to 128.

Sri Lanka’s main strike bowler Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva captured three wickets against Zimbabwe and in the second game against Pakistan ended wicket-less meaning the host country has mastered the art of playing him.

It is also baffling to note why another experienced leg-spinning bowler Jeffrey Vandersay in not part of the Sri Lanka team despite his exploits in the ODI series.