Salman Agha ton sets up Pakistan's 37-run win over Sri Lanka in tri-series opener

Agha's century anchors Pakistan total

Salman Agha's century was the highlight as Pakistan began the tri-series with a 37-run win over Sri Lanka on Sunday, October 18, in Rawalpindi. Despite a poor finish with the bat, Pakistan went past 300 on the back of Agha's hundred.

Pakistan were asked to bat first and didn't start well. Fakhar Zaman hammered a six off a free hit early in his innings, but Dilshan Madushanka removed both openers inside the first six overs. Babar Azam and Saad Baig then got going with early boundaries, with Baig in particular dealing in sixes.

Eshan Malinga returned for a second spell to break the partnership, having Babar fail to control a pull and dismissed five short of a half-century. Malinga struck again in his next over, removing Baig, who top-edged a short ball.

Agha and Hasan Nawaz rebuild the innings

Sri Lanka could not press their advantage as Agha and Hasan Nawaz steadied the ship with an impressive partnership. Agha brought up his fifty, and Nawaz hammered a six over deep midwicket to put Pakistan on top. Sri Lanka struck again to remove Nawaz, and Arafat Minhas's dismissal derailed the innings further.

Agha turned on the heat in the slog overs, but the hosts added only 37 runs in the final six overs while losing their last five wickets, including Agha, who failed to clear the man at long on. Even so, 305 appeared more than enough for the home side.

Rathnayake and Liyanage fight back

Sri Lanka were wobbling early, with Avishka Fernando falling to a top edge and Kusal Mendis struggling, batting on 13 off 31 at one stage. Faheem Ashraf dismissed Mendis, bringing Pavan Rathnayake to the crease. Shaheen Afridi then struck twice in two overs, leaving Sri Lanka 91/4 at the end of the 20th over.

Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage put on a century stand, finding the boundary regularly and launching Afridi for successive sixes. Rathnayake brought up his half-century after the second drinks break. Rathnayake fell to a straightforward catch to cover, and Haris Rauf dismissed Liyanage, who had also reached fifty.

Afridi's wicket seals it

Dasun Shanaka briefly threatened, hitting Faheem for boundaries and pulling Minhas for a big hit, but the pressure stayed on him. Afridi bowled himself out to go for the kill, and the captain's gamble paid off with the wicket of Shanaka. Sri Lanka's tail then collapsed, with Naseem Shah and Rauf completing the formalities.

Brief scores

Pakistan 305 in 49.5 overs (Salman Agha 107, Babar Azam 45; Eshan Malinga 4-46) beat Sri Lanka 268 in 48.1 overs (Pavan Rathnayake 79, Janith Liyanage 60; Shaheen Afridi 3-55, Naseem Shah 2-43) by 37 runs.