Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan: Winners and Losers from 3rd ODI

Pakistan moved back in front in the one-day series against Sri Lanka with a 135-run triumph at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The tourists posted 316 for four after winning the toss and opting to bat first in the third match, with Sarfraz Ahmed top scoring with 77 from 74 deliveries.

Sri Lanka's reply saw them reach 82 for two before they collapsed, losing their last eight wickets for 99 runs to be bowled out in 41.1 overs.

Their run chase, per Andrew Fidel Fernando of ESPN Cricinfo, was held up for 30 minutes after the action was suspended due to trouble in the stands. Eventually, however, play was able to resume.

Pakistan now lead 2-1 with two matches to go in the series.

But, before the teams meet again at the same venue on Wednesday, here are the winners and losers from Sunday's one-sided fixture.

While no Pakistan player went on to get a big score, their top six in the batting order all made excellent contributions to help post a sizeable total.

Openers Ahmed Shehzad, who made 44, and captain Azhar Ali, who made 49, set the platform with a stand of 93, while Mohammad Hafeez contributed 54 after coming in at the fall of the first wicket.

Sarfraz Ahmed, however, was the pick of the bunch, the wicketkeeper-batsman making 77 from 74 deliveries.

Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Rizwan weighed in with unbeaten knocks of 42 and 35 respectively, helping Pakistan pass 300 for the first time in the series.

While five of Sri Lanka's top six managed to reach double figures in their run chase, they failed to work together as a unit.

Lahiru Thirimanne made 56 from 67 deliveries, but the innings lacked any substantial partnership to lay the platform for a late push towards a target of 317.

They slipped to 130 for five in the 26th over, leaving poor Thirimanne with too much to do.

He was the sixth wicket to fall. As the innings fell away badly, the home side's lower order crumbled to Pakistan's slow bowlers.

Pakistan's Yasir Shah returned career-best ODI figures of four for 29 to help rush Pakistan to victory.

The leg-spinner had Upul Tharanga stumped before then snaring the prized scalp of Angelo Mathews, with the Sri Lanka skipper caught for just four.

Yasir picked up two tail-end wickets to easily record a personal best—he had never previously taken more than two wickets in a one-day innings.

He has been a major thorn in Sri Lanka's side already during Pakistan's tour, claiming 24 wickets in the Test series to help the visitors clinch a 2-1 series triumph.

Lasith Malinga had a day to forget with the ball for Sri Lanka, despite picking up the wicket of Ahmed Shehzad.

The pace bowler conceded 80 runs from his allotted 10 overs, meaning his economy rate through three games in the series now stands at 7.14.

Still, his costly figures are not even close to being his most expensive spell in 50-over cricket—he once conceded 96 runs in just 7.4 overs against India in Hobart back in 2012.

Sarfraz Ahmed found runs in one-day cricket tough to come by since hitting his maiden hundred in the format during the Cricket World Cup earlier this year.

The wicketkeeper-batsman made 101 not out in the group game against Ireland in March, but since then, his best score prior to Sunday had been 25.

However, batting at four in the order, he registered just his second ODI half-century in the game in Colombo.

The right-hander hit seven fours, as he made 77 before being run out by Thisara Perera in the 45th over.

Sadly, incidents that took place off the field during the third one-dayer have rather overshadowed the events on it.

Fighting broke out in a section of the crowd during the second innings and, at one stage, a rock was thrown onto the playing area.

With the safety of the players paramount, match referee Javagal Srinath ordered the game to be suspended as Sri Lanka found themselves 158 for seven.

Andrew Fidel Fernando wrote for ESPN Cricinfo: "The lower tier of the stand was temporarily evacuated after the fights began, but objects continued to be thrown—in many instances by people who were being evicted from the ground."

Thankfully, play was able to resume after a delay, with Pakistan claiming the final three wickets they needed to wrap up victory.