Pakistan retain top spot after Lahore washout

Pakistan has successfully retained their number one spot in International Cricket Council T20I ranking after torrential rain washed out the third and final match of the series against Bangladesh on Monday. With that win the home team clinched the series 2-0.

Pakistan have now 270 points, leading Australia by just a single point.

At the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, untimely rain arrived an hour before the scheduled toss at 1.30 p.m. local time. Although it was ceased for a little while, it started pouring incessantly forcing umpires to call off the play at 3.55 p.m. local time.

“Result-wise, we are probably disappointed,” Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah said.

“As a captain, I wanted to give a better performance, a better show which we didn´t do. The talent was there, the skill was there, but I think we didn´t execute our skills good enough and they were better than us, obviously,” he added.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said the series win will help to increase team’s confidence.

“Our bowling was outstanding in both the games helped us keep them down to low totals,” said Babar. Pakistan came back from losing six straight loses before Bangladesh series.

Pakistan won the first match by five wickets on Friday and the second by nine wickets the next day.

Bangladesh will fly back to the country late in Monday. They will return on February 5 to play the first of two Tests, in Rawalpindi followed by a one-off one day international series on April 3 in Karachi, and the second Test starting from April 7.

Last year, Sri Lanka also split their Pakistan tour in two phases. First they played a T20 series in Lahore then returned in December for two test matches in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

The third #PAKvBAN T20I has been abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Pakistan take the series home 2-0! pic.twitter.com/pHNHf6kYsW

— ICC (@ICC) January 27, 2020