5 things that makes Sri Lanka's 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan special

Exuberance of youth trumps the tried-and-tested template

Well! One can turn around and say that Sri Lanka didn’t have any option but to send their bench-strength after the major chunk of their established players had opted out of the tour.

Yes! That’s true. But, forget about Sri Lanka for a moment (don’t). Let’s look at what Pakistan did in this series. Instead of using this series as a means 0f giving chances to the youngsters to bolster their bench-strength, what did Misbah and Co do? They brought back tried and tested 32-year-olds into the set-up, once again vindicating the well-established fact that Pakistani cricket is obsessed with embracing mediocrity. It still keeps its faith in familiar faces rather than unleashing new talent.

Sri Lanka’s win was not only a reflection of a group of talented and driven youngsters who were ready to cash-in 0n any iota of opportunity that they got, but it also served as a lesson as to what can be achieved if one invests in the youth. One may lose, but at least  Pakistan learnt it the harsh way, though!