Nasim Shah won the toss and elected to field, but it was Wanindu Hasaranga who initially threatened to take the game away from Pakistan. Just past his half-century, the Sri Lankan all-rounder looked set to guide his team to victory with a powerful innings.
However, on a crucial delivery, Hasaranga mistimed a shot down the ground, and the ball landed safely in Babar Azam’s hands at long-on. Relief spread across the Pakistani players, and the match remained within reach. That single missed opportunity proved decisive, as Shahid Afridi’s side held their nerve to secure a narrow six-run win.
Batting first in Rawalpindi, Pakistan posted 299 for 5 in their 50 overs. Sri Lanka fought valiantly in pursuit of the target but fell short, finishing 293 for 9. The win gives Pakistan a 1–0 lead in the three-match series, with the second ODI scheduled for Thursday at the same venue.
Pakistan’s innings had a rocky start, losing their first four batsmen—Fakhar Zaman, Ilyas Ayub, Babar Azam, and Rizwan—before reaching 100, with three of those dismissals coming off Hasaranga’s bowling. The team was rescued by T20 captain Salman Ali Agha and batting all-rounder Hussein Talat, who compiled a 138-run partnership in 121 balls for the fifth wicket.
Talat was dismissed for 62 LBW to Mahish Tikshan, but Pakistan had by then laid the foundation for a competitive total. Salman Ali Agha went on to score an unbeaten 105, supported by Mohammad Nawaz, who made 36*, to set Sri Lanka a target of exactly 300. Agha’s innings marked his second ODI century.
After scoring 119 for four in the first 30 overs, Pakistan added a further 180 runs for the loss of just one wicket in the final 20 overs, thanks to the brilliant batting of Salman, Talat, and Nawaz.
Sri Lanka’s chase began positively with Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara putting together 85 runs in 70 balls for the opening stand. However, Haris Rauf from Rawalpindi emerged as the game-changer with the ball, dismissing Mishara and then Kushal Mendis immediately after. Nissanka and Samarawickrama also fell to him, leaving Sri Lanka’s innings in jeopardy.
Despite promising starts from most of their batsmen, including captain Charith Asalanka (32) and all-rounder Janith Liyanage (28), Sri Lanka could not build a substantial innings. At one stage, they were 210 for 7, making defeat seem inevitable. Hasaranga’s late fightback, a 59-run innings from 52 balls with Dushmantha Chameera and Tikshana, was ultimately in vain.
Summary Scorecard:
Pakistan: 299/5 in 50 overs (Salman 105*, Talat 62, Nawaz 36*, Fakhar 32; Hasaranga 3/54, Asitha 1/42, Tikshana 1/64)
Sri Lanka: 293/9 in 50 overs (Hasaranga 59, Samarawickrama 39, Mishara 38, Asalanka 32; Rauf 4/61, Ashraf 2/49, Nasim 2/55)
Result: Pakistan won by 6 runs.
Player of the Match: Salman Ali Agha
Series: Pakistan lead 1–0 in the three-match series.