Salman Ali Agha’s commanding century and a disciplined bowling display carried Pakistan to a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening match of the ODI tri-nation series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Asked to bat first, Pakistan stumbled early as Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman fell cheaply, but Babar Azam’s 45 off 57 balls and debutant Saad Baig’s 39 off 40 steadied the innings with a 74-run stand. Salman then rebuilt alongside Hasan Nawaz, who made 37 off 49, adding 97 for the fifth wicket, before accelerating in the company of Arafat Minhas (18 off 15) in a brisk 64-run partnership.
Salman top-scored with 107 off 90 balls, striking 10 fours and a six, before falling to Asitha Fernando. It was his fourth ODI hundred — the most by a Pakistan batter at number five or below, breaking his tie with Mohammad Yousuf. A late hat-trick scare from Eshan Malinga, who finished with 4-46, could not stop Pakistan reaching 305 all out in 49.5 overs, with captain Shaheen Afridi unbeaten on 13 off 12.
Chasing 306, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 268 in 48.1 overs. Pavan Rathnayake’s 79 off 74 balls — his maiden ODI half-century — and Janith Liyanage’s 60 off 74 revived the innings with a 119-run fifth-wicket stand, while Kamindu Mendis made 44 off 50 and Dasun Shanaka struck 28 off 18. But Shaheen’s 3-55 in 10 overs, backed by two wickets apiece from Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf, kept Pakistan firmly in control.
Pakistan now face England in the second match of the series at Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Earlier in the series: Agha Century Powers Pakistan to 305 in Tri-Series Opener and Sri Lanka Opt to Field Against Pakistan in Series Opener.
