Agha’s Century Holds Pakistan Together in Tri-Series Opener

Rawalpindi: Salman Agha’s seventh ODI century provided the foundation, Shaheen Afridi’s three wickets delivered the finish, and Pakistan opened their tri-series campaign with a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Pakistan kicked off their home ODI tri-series campaign with a close win over Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi 👌

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The scorecard will show a comfortable margin. The contest itself was anything but. Sri Lanka, at one stage 91 for 4 inside 20 overs, clawed their way back into the chase through a century stand before falling away in the final stages.

Pakistan’s Innings Built and Bruised

Asked to bat first, Pakistan lost both openers inside the first six overs. Fakhar Zaman had cashed in on a free-hit to hammer a six early and added a couple of boundaries, but Dilshan Madushanka removed him and his partner before the powerplay had run its course.

Babar Azam and Saad Baig steadied the innings with positive intent. Baig dealt in sixes, and the pair kept the scoreboard moving until Eshan Malinga returned for a second spell to break the partnership. Babar fell five short of a half-century, unable to control a pull. Malinga struck again in his next over with another short ball, accounting for Baig via a top edge.

Agha and Hasan Nawaz rebuilt. Boundaries began to flow once the pair found their rhythm. Agha brought up his fifty, Nawaz hammered a six over deep midwicket, and Pakistan appeared set for a total in excess of 320. Sri Lanka struck at the right moment to remove Nawaz, and Arafat Minhas’s dismissal derailed the innings entirely.

Pakistan managed just 37 runs in the final six overs while losing their last five wickets. Agha, on course for a sizeable hundred, failed to clear long on and departed for 107. The hosts were bowled out in 49.5 overs for 305. Malinga finished with 4 for 46.

Sri Lanka’s Chase Falters, Then Revives

Sri Lanka’s reply began poorly. Avishka Fernando fell early to a top edge, and Kusal Mendis laboured to 13 off 31 before Faheem Ashraf ended his struggle. Shaheen Afridi struck twice in two overs to leave the visitors reeling at 91 for 4 after 20 overs.

Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage responded with the partnership Sri Lanka desperately needed. Boundaries came regularly. Rathnayake survived a nervy start, beaten on numerous occasions, before finding his range. He brought up his half-century after the second drinks break and launched Afridi for successive sixes as the momentum shifted.

Against the run of play, Pakistan found their breakthrough. Rathnayake hit one straight to cover in tame fashion, departing for 79. Dasun Shanaka arrived and immediately took the attack to the bowlers, hitting Faheem for a couple of boundaries before nailing a pull off Minhas. At the other end, Haris Rauf removed Liyanage for 60, placing the burden squarely on Shanaka and the lower order.

Afridi chose to bowl himself out immediately in pursuit of the kill. The ploy worked. He bagged the crucial wicket of Shanaka, effectively ending Sri Lanka’s resistance. The tail offered little fight, with Naseem Shah and Rauf completing the formalities. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 268 in 48.1 overs.

The Final Tally

Agha’s century earned him the spotlight, but the match underscored the fragility of Pakistan’s middle order in the closing overs and the value of Afridi’s experience in a pressure situation. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will rue a chase that slipped away after Rathnayake and Liyanage had brought them within reach. The tri-series has its first result. The lessons for both sides extend well beyond the scoreline.

Brief scores: Pakistan 305 in 49.5 overs (Salman Agha 107, Babar Azam 45; Eshan Malinga 4-46) beat Sri Lanka 268 in 48.1 overs (Pavan Rathnayake 79, Janith Liyanage 60; Shaheen Afridi 3-55, Naseem Shah 2-43) by 37 runs.

                                               

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