Fakhar Zaman hit a sparkling hundred on Saturday as Pakistan recovered from a sharp collapse at the top of the order to beat Sri Lanka by three wickets. The result gave Pakistan the ODI tri-series final at Gaddafi Stadium.
Fakhar made 127, and his innings was supported by half-centuries from Saad Baig and Arafat Minhas. Pakistan reached Sri Lanka’s target of 326 with three wickets in hand, getting there in 48.3 overs.
Early wickets fall before Fakhar and Saad rebuild
The hosts made a poor start. Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Maaz Sadaqat for five, then removed Babar Azam for a duck in the following over, leaving Pakistan on 14-2.
Also read: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets to reach final
The innings was rescued by Fakhar and 19-year-old wicketkeeper Saad, who added 149 runs for the third wicket. Baig scored 74 off 75 balls with 11 boundaries before Maheesh Theekshana caught him off his own bowling in the 27th over.
Fakhar then batted on with Salman Ali Agha, and the pair put on 57 for the fourth wicket. The knock brought up Fakhar’s 12th ODI century. Madushanka eventually bowled him in the 34th over, ending an innings of 127 from 99 deliveries that included 11 fours and six sixes. Agha was out for 17 two overs later, with Pakistan on 230-5.
Minhas and Afridi seal the chase
Hasan Nawaz and Minhas then changed the course of the match with a crucial 94-run partnership. Minhas was especially aggressive, scoring 61 off 31 balls with four sixes and three fours.
Asitha Fernando removed Minhas and Faheem Ashraf in the 48th over, briefly reviving Sri Lanka’s hopes. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, however, finished the job with a six off Madushanka in the penultimate over.
Madushanka finished with 3-63, while Fernando took two wickets. Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage claimed one wicket each.
Kamindu Mendis century sets up Sri Lanka total
Earlier, Sri Lanka were asked to bat first after Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl on a slow Gaddafi Stadium pitch. Kamindu Mendis struck a maiden ODI century, scoring 131 off 128 balls, while in-form Pavan Rathnayake contributed 77 as the visitors made 325-8.
Kamindu and Rathnayake added 146 runs for the third wicket. Afridi then dismissed Kamindu and Dasun Shanaka (17) within the space of two overs. Earlier, Kamindu and Avishka Fernando (38) had shared an opening stand of 87 inside 18 overs.
Spinner Salman Agha, who took 2-44, gave Pakistan a double breakthrough by dismissing Fernando and Kusal Mendis (8). Kamindu kept the innings together with 12 fours and two sixes, improving on his previous highest ODI score of 64.
Pakistan tightened the screws in the last five overs, taking three wickets for just 38 runs. Shaheen finished with 2-50, while Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah also took two wickets each.
