Pakistan beats Sri Lanka by 6 runs in ODI series opener despite Hasaranga’s efforts

Salman Ali Agha’s unbeaten 105 off 87 balls had earlier propelled Pakistan to 299-5 after Hasaranga's three-wicket burst had left the home team struggling at 95-4 in the 24th over.

The victory extended Pakistan’s ODI momentum under new captain Shaheen Shah Afridi after a 2-1 series win over South Africa last week.

Hasaranga effort goes in vain

Pakistan fast bowlers found it tough to control the wet ball because of heavy dew at the Pindi Cricket Stadium as Sri Lanka openers — debutant Kamil Mishara (38) and Pathum Nissanka (29) — provided a rollicking start of 85 off 70 balls.

But fast bowler Haris Rauf (4-61) picked up three quick wickets when he had Mishara caught at mid-on and the next ball Kusal Mendis played the pacer back onto his stumps.

Sri Lanka slipped to 90-3 in Rauf’s next over when he found the outside edge of Nissanka before Sadeera Samarawickrama (39) and captain Charith Asalanka (32) put the chase back on track with a 57-run stand as Afridi kept the pacers going with the wet ball.

Rauf then returned and broke the threatening stand in the 27th over when Babar Azam plucked a superb one-handed catch in the first slip to dismiss Samarawickrama, and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz had Asalanka stumped in the 32nd over with Sri Lanka still needing 107 for victory.

Hasaranga, who walked in the 34th over, dug in with the tailenders and completed his half-century off 45 balls before he holed out to long-on while going for a big hit against Naseem Shah in the 49th over.

With 21 needed off the final over, Maheesh Theekhsana (21) further reduced the target to nine off the final two balls when he smashed Hussain Talat for two successive boundaries, before the fast bowler hung in for the final two deliveries to deny Sri Lanka victory.

Agha and Talat revive Pakistan

The new ball pair of Asitha Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera bowled superbly in the powerplay that saw Pakistan crawling to 28-1 with Fernando pinning Saim Ayub lbw through a successful review.

Babar Azam (29) struggled before getting off the mark of his 13th ball and Fakhar Zaman made a scratchy 32 off 55 balls before Hasaranga struck thrice in his successive overs.

Zaman smashed Hasaranga for a straight six in a bid to accelerate, but got stumped and Mohammad Rizwan (5) was trapped plumb leg before wicket on the backfoot in the leg-spinner’s next over.

Babar couldn’t force the acceleration against either pace or the spin as he was undone by Hasaranga's brilliant googly and got clean bowled.

Hasaranga should have dismissed Talat in the same over for duck, but Sri Lanka had exhausted both its reviews to their fast bowlers, as the TV replays suggested the ball could have hit the middle stump, but the umpire ruled in batter’s favor to the much disappointment of the leg-spinner.

The reprieve allowed Agha and Talat (62) to revive Pakistan with a gritty 138-run stand as Pakistan rattled 104 runs in the last 10 overs. Talat’s maiden half-century that featured six fours and a six ended in the 44th over when Theekshana had him lbw but Agha and Nawaz (36 not out) provided the late flurry.

Agha raised his second ODI hundred in 2025 off 83 balls and nine fours when he flicked Chameera for two successive boundaries and then ran a single to point as the fast bowler conceded 20 runs in the 48th over which proved decisive in the outcome of the close game.

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