Pakistan are the ODI tri-series champions. In a thrilling final at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, the hosts chased down Sri Lanka's 325 for 8 to win by three wickets, finishing on 331 for 7 in 48.3 overs with nine balls to spare.
Sri Lanka had set a stiff target earlier in the day. Kamindu Mendis struck a maiden ODI century, 131 off 128 balls, and Pavan Rathnayake made 77 off 65 as the pair added 146 runs for the third wicket. Avishka Fernando chipped in with 38 at the top of the order. Pakistan's bowlers fought back late, with captain Shaheen Shah Afridi taking 2 for 50 and Salman Ali Agha 2 for 44, to hold Sri Lanka to 325 for 8.
Pakistan's chase began in disaster. Maaz Sadaqat fell for 5 and Babar Azam for a duck, both to Dilshan Madushanka, leaving the hosts reeling at 14 for 2. Then Fakhar Zaman took charge. The veteran left-hander smashed 127 off just 99 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes, reaching his hundred off 84 deliveries. Wicketkeeper Saad Baig supported him with 74 off 75 balls, and the pair put on 149 runs for the third wicket to drag Pakistan back into the final.
Fakhar's innings was full of milestones. It was his 12th ODI hundred, his first in nearly three years, and it carried him past 4,000 ODI runs. It also made him only the second Pakistan batter after Saeed Anwar to score two centuries in ODI finals, after his famous hundred against India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
Even after Fakhar fell to Madushanka, the chase went down to the wire. Salman Ali Agha made 17, and Pakistan slipped to 324 for 7 in the 48th over before crossing the line in the 49th over to lift the trophy on home soil. The win was sweet revenge for Pakistan's heavy defeat to the same opponents four days earlier, when they were bowled out for just 110 in Lahore.
Sources: CricTracker live scorecard, Dunya News, A Sports, Geo Super.
Roman Urdu version:
Pakistan ne ODI tri-series ka final jeet liya! Lahore ke Gaddafi Stadium mein Sri Lanka ke 325 runs ke jawab mein Pakistan ne 331 runs bana kar 3 wicket se trophy apne naam kar li, 9 balls pehle hi match khatam kar diya.
Sri Lanka ki taraf se Kamindu Mendis ne 131 runs ki shandaar century banayi aur Pavan Rathnayake ne 77 runs banaye, dono ne 146 runs ki partnership ki. Pakistan ke captain Shaheen Shah Afridi ne 2 wickets liye aur Salman Ali Agha ne bhi 2 wickets liye.
Pakistan ki shuruaat bohat kharab hui — Maaz Sadaqat 5 runs aur Babar Azam 0 par out ho gaye, score sirf 14 par 2 wickets gir gayi. Phir Fakhar Zaman ne kamal kar diya: 99 balls par 127 runs, 11 chokay aur 6 chhakay. Saad Baig ne 74 runs banaye aur dono ne 149 runs ki partnership ki. Fakhar ki ye 12th ODI century thi, taqreeban 3 saal baad, aur is ke saath un ke ODI runs 4,000 se zyada ho gaye. Aakhri overs mein match phansa, Pakistan 324 par 7 wickets kho chuka tha, lekin aakhir mein Green Shirts ne trophy jeet li. Chaar din pehle isi Sri Lanka ke khilaf 110 par all out honay ka badla bhi poora ho gaya.
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