ODI Tri-Series 2026: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in opener
What's the story
Pakistan claimed a resounding win over Sri Lanka in Match 1 of the 2026 ODI Tri-Series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Salman Ali Agha's incredible ton powered the hosts to 305 in 49.5 overs. Eshan Malinga took four wickets. In response, the Lankans were in the driving seat after a patchy start. They required just 58 off 48 balls with five wickets in hand but lost by 37 runs. Pakistan skipper Shaheen Afridi took three wickets, with SL perishing for 268.
Start
Pakistan recover after poor start
Pakistan, asked to bat, lost Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman to Dilshan Madushanka in the first powerplay.
However, Babar Azam and Saad Baig then added a 74-run stand to steady the ship. Malinga then chipped in to remove the two in successive overs.
With Pakistan nearing a collapse at 118/4, Hasan Nawaz and Salman Agha added 97 runs.
Century
Agha silences the critics
After Nawaz's dismissal, Agha further stitched a 64-run stand alongside Arafat Minhas (18). The former batted with intent, improving Pakistan's scoring rate.
Agha reached his century in style, hitting a low full toss off Asitha Fernando to bring up his hundred.
This was Agha's first outing for Pakistan after being dropped midway through Pakistan's Test tour of England earlier this year.
Numbers
A look at his numbers
While Agha scored a brilliant 107 off 90 balls (10 fours and 1 six), Pakistan reached 305 in 49.5 overs. This was his fourth ODI ton, adding to his nine half-centuries.
Agha has raced to 1,673 runs from 46 ODI innings at an average of 44.02, as per Cricinfo.
He recorded his second hundred across three innings versus Sri Lanka (218 runs at 109).
Malinga
The pick of SL's bowlers
Malinga, who dismissed Babar and Baig, had Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah as his next victims.
Dismissing the duo on successive balls, the Lankan seamer finished with 9.5-1-46-4.
Malinga recorded his maiden ODI four-fer, with his previous best returns being 3/35. He has raced to 10 wickets from 11 ODIs at an average of 38.4.
Malinga also got past 35 List A wickets.
Milestone
Babar completes 16,000 international runs
Babar fell short of his half-century with a score of 45 (57). With his seventh, he completed 16,000 international runs.
Babar became the fifth Pakistani to reach this landmark, joining Inzamam-ul-Haq (20,541), Younis Khan (17,790), Mohammad Yousuf (17,134), and Javed Miandad (16,213).
Across 355 ODIs (399 innings), Babar now has 16,038 runs at an average of 45.30, including 32 tons and 111 half-centuries.
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Third-fastest to this landmark
Babar is also the third-fastest to 16,000 international runs among Pakistan players (399 innings), only behind Mohammad Yousuf and Javed Miandad. Overall, the fastest to this landmark is India's Virat Kohli.
Innings
Rathnayake, Liyanage lead SL's fightback
Sri Lanka too had a scratchy start, losing Avishka Fernando in the sixth over.
Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Faheem Ashraf all struck in quick succession, reducing SL to 91/4 in the 20th over.
Kamindu Mendis scored the majority of those runs before falling to Shaheen for 44 (50).
Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage led SL's fightback thereafter, adding 119 runs.
Breakthroughs
Successive breakthroughs for Pakistan
The stand finally broke in the 38th over when Faheem Ashraf sent back Rathnayake. The latter departed for 79 off 74 balls (6 fours and 2 sixes).
However, Liyanage propelled the visitors past 250 with his 74-ball 60. Haris Rauf then chipped in to remove the set batter.
SL still required 53 off 38 balls at that point.
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Shaheen's three-fer seals the match
Dasun Shanaka tried to cover the required run rate with his 18-ball 28, but Shaheen Afridi had the better of him. SL's tail fell like a pack of cards as Afridi finished with three wickets (3/55).
Numbers
Numbers of Rathnayake, Liyanage
Rathnayake, who made his ODI debut last year, recorded his second 50-plus score, including a ton.
In 10 matches (9 innings), he now has 376 runs at an average of 41.77. His strike rate is 94.23.
Meanwhile, Liyanage raced to his eighth ODI half-century. He has racked up 1,149 runs from 40 ODIs (34 innings) at an average of 42.55.