Pakistan held off a stirring Sri Lankan fightback to win the opening match of the Pakistan-England-Sri Lanka ODI tri-series by 37 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, with Salman Agha’s maiden century at number five or lower setting up the total his bowlers then defended. Pakistan were bowled out for 305 in 49.5 overs; Sri Lanka, chasing 306, fell short at 268 all out in 48.1 overs.
Agha, who was unbeaten on a then-record-breaking century when PakDaily reported on the innings as it happened, finished 107 off 90 balls with ten fours and a six, and was named Player of the Match. He rebuilt the innings after Pakistan slipped to 118 for 4, adding 97 for the sixth wicket with Hasan Nawaz (37) and a further 64 with Arafat Minhas (18) before he was finally out at 291. Babar Azam made 45 and debutant wicketkeeper Saad Baig scored 39, though Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 26 runs in the closing overs.
Sri Lanka’s reply never quite recovered from an uneven start despite a determined middle-order fightback. Left-arm quick Eshan Malinga and fellow seamer Asitha Fernando shared seven wickets between them for the visitors, but it was Pakistan’s attack — led by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (3 for 55), Naseem Shah (2 for 43) and Haris Rauf (2 for 48) — that did the early and late damage.
- Slow start: Sri Lanka were 42 for 1 after the first ten overs, with Kusal Mendis out for 18.
- Early collapse: Pakistan’s seamers reduced the chase to 91 for 4 inside 20 overs, with Kamindu Mendis among the wickets for 44.
- Recovery stand: Pavan Rathnayake (79) and Janith Liyanage (60) added 119 for the fifth wicket to drag Sri Lanka back into the match, taking the score to 210 for 4.
- Breakthrough: Faheem Ashraf removed Rathnayake at 210 in the 38th over, ending the stand.
- Final push falls short: At 253 for 5 in the 44th over Sri Lanka needed 53 off 39 balls, but Pakistan took the last five wickets for just 15 runs, with Rauf bowling Asitha Fernando to end the innings at 268.
| Team | Score | Overs | Top Scorers | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 305 all out | 49.5 | Salman Agha 107, Babar Azam 45, Saad Baig 39 | Eshan Malinga 4/46, Asitha Fernando 3/59 |
| Sri Lanka | 268 all out | 48.1 | Pavan Rathnayake 79, Janith Liyanage 60, Kamindu Mendis 44 | Shaheen Shah Afridi 3/55, Naseem Shah 2/43 |
Result: Pakistan won by 37 runs. Player of the Match: Salman Agha (107 off 90 balls).
The win puts Pakistan on top of the points table in the opening round of the tri-series, which PakDaily previewed on the eve of the series opener and which all three sides are using to fine-tune their squads ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Saturday’s result, built on Agha’s innings and a disciplined bowling display from the pace attack, will offer Pakistan’s team management some early reassurance as the series continues.
Our Opinion
Salman Agha’s innings was the difference, but the more encouraging sign for Pakistan’s World Cup planning is the bowling unit’s finish — taking Sri Lanka’s last five wickets for just 15 runs after conceding a dangerous 119-run recovery stand; a middle order that can absorb an early stumble and still post 300, backed by an attack that closes out matches rather than lets them drift, is exactly the template Pakistan have struggled to repeat consistently over the past year, and the real test will be whether this version of the side can do it again against England later in the series.
