Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Sarfraz Ahmed dismisses Dinesh Chandimal's witchcraft claim

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New Delhi: Days after Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal claimed that witchcraft helped them beat Pakistan in their recent two-match Test series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), rival skipper Sarfraz Ahmed dismissed it saying matches were won and lost on the field by players and by their performances.

Lanka won the Test series to spoil Pakistan`s perfect record at their adopted home of UAE in seven years. Pakistan had won five of the previous nine, with four drawn.

"We lost the two Tests because of our poor batting and that is all. If they could win Test matches because of witchcraft or magic, then they should have also won the ODI and T20 series," Sarfraz told reporters in Karachi.

Lankans failed to keep the 'charm' going as Pakistan thrashed them 5-0 and 3-0 in the ODIs and T20Is just after the Test series.

"I believe in the Holy Quran and also that there was magic in the world, but in the Test series we just batted badly and lost chances to win," added Sarfraz.

Former Pakistan captain Muhammad Yousuf also rubbished Chandimal's claims.

"Don't mix cricket with such things. Pakistan's planning was bad and they messed it up," said Yousuf.

Earlier, a Lankan sorcerer has claimed that she had cast a spell over the Pakistani team to help the Lankans win the Test series. Ganga Zoiza, in a Facebook post, also alleged that on Lanka sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara's demand, captain Chandimal approached her to help with the dark power.

Several Sri Lankan politicians, business leaders, and sports stars believe in astrology and witchcraft. Many have ended up being victims of charlatans.

Then-president Mahinda Rajapakse took the advice of his personal astrologer and called an election two years ahead of schedule in January 2015, only to lose badly.