Rawalpindi (GNP): Pakistan began the Tri-nation ODI series with a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, defending a total of 305.
Salman Ali Agha’s 107 off 90 balls set up the score, and a pace attack led by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled out Sri Lanka despite a 119-run fifth-wicket partnership that threatened to take the game away. Salman was named Player of the Match.
Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl. Dilshan Madushanka removed openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub inside the first 5.5 overs. Debutant Saad Baig and Babar Azam then added 74 to steady the innings.
Babar made 45 off 57 balls with six fours, and in the process reached 16,000 international runs. He became only the fifth batter to do so, after Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Javed Miandad. Saad, the 262nd man to play ODIs for Pakistan, looked fluent in scoring 39 off 40 balls with three fours and two sixes. Eshan Malinga dismissed both, Saad in the 20th over and Babar in the 22nd, pulling Sri Lanka back into the contest.
Salman then joined Hasan Nawaz, and the pair added 97 for the fifth wicket off 94 balls. Hasan fell for 37 off 49, including two fours and two sixes. Salman reached his hundred in the 45th over with a boundary, his 82nd ball, before falling to Asitha Fernando. Sri Lanka fought back in the last five overs, conceding only 26 runs while taking four wickets, and Pakistan were all out in 49.5 overs. Malinga finished with 4-46, Fernando took three wickets and Madushanka two.
Pakistan’s bowlers began strongly. Naseem Shah removed Avishka Fernando for five and Faheem Ashraf dismissed Kusal Mendis for 18. Kamindu Mendis (44 off 50, four fours) and Sahan Arachchige fell to Shaheen, leaving Sri Lanka 91-4 in 19.3 overs.
Pavan Rathnayake (79 off 74, six fours and two sixes) and Janith Liyanage (60 off 74, five fours) then put on a century stand and made the match tense. Sri Lanka needed 96 off the last 13 overs when Faheem finally removed Rathnayake. From there Pakistan took five wickets for 15 runs, and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 268 with 11 balls remaining. Shaheen took 3-55, while Naseem, Haris Rauf and Faheem claimed two wickets each.
Pakistan play England on Tuesday. Sri Lanka meet England on 22 October, after which the series moves to Lahore.
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Match 1: Pakistan won by 37 runs at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
- Pakistan 305 all out in 49.5 overs: Salman Ali Agha 107, Babar Azam 45, Saad Baig 39, Hasan Nawaz 37; Eshan Malinga 4-46, Asitha Fernando 3-59, Dilshan Madushanka 2-67
- Sri Lanka 268 all out in 48.1 overs: Pavan Rathnayake 79, Janith Liyanage 60, Dasun Shanaka 28; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-55, Naseem Shah 2-43, Haris Rauf 2-48, Faheem Ashraf 2-49
- Player of the match: Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan)
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
