Nasim Shah won the toss, and with expectations high for Wanindu Hasaranga to deliver a big six, the Sri Lankan all-rounder looked set to steer his team to victory after just passing fifty.
However, he was unable to connect properly with a crucial delivery, which lobbed straight to long-on and into the hands of Babar Azam. Relief washed over Babar and his teammates – had Hasaranga cleared the ropes, the match could easily have slipped from Pakistan’s grasp.
Instead, keeping their composure under pressure, Shaheen Afridi’s side managed to hold on and claim a narrow six-run victory.
Batting first in the first ODI at Rawalpindi after losing the toss, Pakistan posted 299 for 5. In response, Sri Lanka fell short, finishing on 293 for 9. The win gives Pakistan a 1–0 lead in the three-match series, with the second ODI scheduled in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
Pakistan had faced early trouble, losing their top four batsmen—Fakhar, Ilyas, Babar, and Rizwan—before reaching three figures, with Hasaranga taking three of those wickets.
The situation was stabilised by T20 captain Salman Ali Agha and batting all-rounder Hussein Talat, who put together a 138-run partnership off 121 balls for the fifth wicket. Talat fell for 62, trapped LBW by Mahisha Tikshan, but by then Pakistan had already laid the foundation for a big total.
Salman then forged an unbeaten 66 off 39 balls with Mohammad Nawaz, guiding Pakistan to a competitive 300-run target. This marked Agha’s second ODI century.
After a cautious start, Pakistan accelerated in the last 20 overs, losing only one wicket while adding 180 runs, thanks to the batting of Salman, Talat, and Nawaz.
Sri Lanka got off to a flying start in their chase, with Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara putting on 85 runs for the opening wicket from just 70 balls.
However, Haris Rauf emerged as Pakistan’s saviour with the ball. He dismissed Mishara and immediately removed Kushal Mendis at number three. Nissanka and Samarawickrama also fell to his deliveries, halting the momentum.
While several Sri Lankan batsmen got starts, none managed to convert them into a match-winning innings. Captain Charith Asalanka (32) and all-rounder Janith Liyanage (28) offered some resistance but fell cheaply.
At 210 for 7, it looked like Sri Lanka’s defeat was imminent. Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera staged a spirited fight, but despite Hasaranga’s 59 off 52 balls, Sri Lanka fell short.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan: 299/5 in 50 overs (Salman 105*, Talat 62, Nawaz 36*, Fakhar 32; Hasaranga 3/54, Asitha 1/42, Tikshan 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 win by six runs.
Man of the Match: Salman Ali Agha
Series: Pakistan lead 1–0 in the three-match series.