Rawalpindi: Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha produced a commanding century to lift his side to 305 against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the ODI tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Sent in to bat after Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field, Pakistan were in early trouble as left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka removed openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman cheaply. Ayub departed in the fourth over, while Fakhar followed two overs later, leaving the hosts struggling.
Babar Azam and debutant Saad Baig steadied the innings with a 74-run stand, but Eshan Malinga broke the partnership in successive overs to keep Sri Lanka in control. It was then that Agha took charge of the innings, compiling a superb 90-ball 107 with ten boundaries and a six.
The right-hander first added 97 runs for the fifth wicket with Hasan Nawaz, who contributed 37, and then put on 64 for the sixth wicket with Arafat Minhas. Agha’s knock, his fourth one-day hundred while batting at number five or lower, took him past Mohammad Yousuf’s tally of three centuries in that position, the most by any Pakistan batter.
Despite being well placed at 279 for five, Pakistan lost their final five wickets for only 26 runs as Malinga and Asitha Fernando ran through the tail. Malinga finished with a career-best four for 46, while Fernando claimed three for 59.
Baig impressed on debut with a brisk 39 off 40 deliveries, and Babar made 45, but Sri Lanka’s attack applied the brakes at the death. The visitors require 306 to win the opening fixture.
The tri-series features Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England and runs until October 31, with the first three matches in Rawalpindi and the rest in Lahore. Pakistan face England at the same venue on October 20.
