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RAWALPINDI: Babar Azam starred with a masterful ton and helped Pakistan clinch the ODI series against Sri Lanka here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
More to follow….
Set a stiff 289-run target, Pakistan hit the winning runs with ease, losing just two wickets in the process with 10 balls to spare.
The openers provided a brisk start as Green Shirts raced to 77 in only 9.4 overs. Saim Ayub, who remained the core aggressor, departed after making 33 from 25 balls with the aid of five fours and a six.
Following his wicket, Fakhar Zaman was joined by Babar Azam, with both stitching a century partnership that flattened the Islanders. The stand brought the total to 177 in 30.5 overs, thanks to sloppy Sri Lanka fielding, who dropped Fakhar thrice.
Eventually, the left-hander was removed after making 78 from 93 that included eight fours and a six.
However, the wicket did not hamper the scoring as Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan put on an unbeaten 112-run partnership.
Babar remained unbeaten with 102 from 119 balls, an innings laced with eight fours, while Rizwan 51 from 54 included five fours and a six.
For Sri Lanka, Dushmantha Chameera picked up two wickets.
Earlier, Janith Liyanage’s gutsy half-century and Wanindu Hasaranga’s cameo powered Sri Lanka to a strong total.
Put into bat first, Sri Lanka amassed 288-8 in their allotted 50 overs.
Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara started strong, adding 51 in 9.1 overs, with the stand culminating courtesy of a run-out. The former 24 from 31 balls included four boundaries.
The home side did not have to wait long for wickets to tumble as Abrar Ahmed’s magical bowling ripped through the Islanders’ middle-order.
Mishara was the second to go, stumped after making 27 from 39 with the help of two fours. The leg-spinner then dismantled Sri Lanka’s middle order, dismissing Kusal Mendis (20) and captain Charith Asalanka (6) in quick succession to leave the tourists reeling at 98/4 in the 22nd over.
Sadeera Samarawickrama and Liyanage attempted to rebuild, adding 61 runs for the fifth wicket before Haris Rauf returned to end Samarawickrama’s fluent knock of 42 off 52 balls in the 32nd over.
Liyanage continued to anchor the innings, forging another crucial partnership—73 runs—with Kamindu Mendis for the sixth wicket.
Both, however, fell within nine deliveries of each other. Liyanage’s 54 off 63 balls featured two boundaries and a six, while Kamindu contributed an aggressive 44 off 38 deliveries, striking four fours and two sixes.
Haris struck again in the 45th over, trapping Dushmantha Chameera for a duck to reduce Sri Lanka to 244/8.
Wanindu Hasaranga then provided late resistance with a brisk, unbeaten 37 off 26 balls, supported by Pramod Madushan, who finished on 11*.
For Pakistan, Abrar and Haris led the attack with three wickets each, while Mohammad Wasim Jr added one to his name.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Pramod Madushan, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando.
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