RAWALPINDI: Salman Ali Agha’s unbeaten ton, followed by Haris Rauf’s four-wicket haul, led Pakistan to a narrow six-run victory against Sri Lanka in the ODI series opener here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Set a stiff 300-run target, Sri Lanka managed to score 293-9 in their allotted 50 overs.
Pathum Nissanka and debutant Kamil Mishara started strong, adding 85 for the opening wicket in just 11.4 overs. The duo batted with freedom and targeted vivid bowling from Pakistan’s pacers.
The Islanders were cruising, but the introduction of pacer Haris Rauf jolted with three quick wickets and lifted the home side. As a result, they slide from 85-0 to 90-3 in 13.2 overs.
Kamil Mishara (38 from 36 balls) and Kusal Mendis (0) were sent back on successive deliveries. Meanwhile, Nissanka followed them after making 29 from 39 with the help of three fours.
With wickets tumbling, Sadeera Samarawickrama and skipper Charith Asalanka partnered and stitched a 57-run partnership. It was Rauf again for Green Shirts that provided the much-needed breakthrough.
Samarawickrama was caught at the slips, thanks to Babar Azam’s blinder. The right-hander struck six fours in his 48-ball 39.
Pakistan continued to mount pressure and tore through the lower-middle order, but Wanindu Hasaranga stood in their way and kept his side in the hunt till the end.
He scored a brisk 59 from 52, studded with seven boundaries, before getting dismissed in the second last over.
For Pakistan, Haris Rauf remained the pick of the bowlers, taking a four-wicket haul. Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah also chipped in with two wickets each.
Earlier, Salman Ali Agha’s second ODI ton and Hussain Talat’s maiden half-century pulled Pakistan out of the trouble and helped them post a strong total.
Put into bat first in the ODI series opener, Pakistan piled up 299-5 in their 50 overs despite being reduced to 95-4 at one stage of their innings.
Asitha Fernando started the proceedings for Sri Lanka, trapping the in-form Saim Ayub lbw for six in the fourth over.
After the early wicket, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam paired for a 54-run partnership coming on 84 balls, thanks to the visitors’ clinical bowling.
However, Zaman’s wicket in the 17th over triggered a mini collapse. The left-hander made 32 from 55 balls before getting stumped off Wanindu Hasaranga’s bowling.
Soon after, Mohammad Rizwan (5) was trapped lbw as well, courtesy of Wanindu Hasaranga’s spin wizardry. The home side were further left in dire straits as Babar Azam was castled by a beauty from Hasaranga. He made 29 from 51 with the aid of three fours.
Consequently, Green Shirts slumped from 68-1 to 95-4 in the span of six overs.
Sri Lanka were all over Pakistan, but it was Salman Ali Agha’s and Hussain Talat’s 138-run partnership, which not only took the home side out of trouble, but also helped in reaching an above-par total.
The duo batted with responsibility at a brisk rate and brought the total to 233 in 43.3 overs. The stand eventually culminated with Talat’s wicket, who fell after scoring 62 from 63, striking six fours and a maximum.
Meanwhile, Salman continued and forged another 66* run partnership with Mohammad Nawaz, who scored a quick-fire 36* from just 23 balls, laced with five fours and a six.
The duo put on a show at the end and accumulated 59 from the last five overs, bringing the total near the 300-run mark. Salman notched up his second ODI ton in the process and remained unbeaten with 105* from 87 balls, studded with nine fours.
For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga picked up three wickets, whereas Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana managed to scalp one apiece.
