Fakhar’s Century, Saad’s Fifty Power Pakistan to Victory
News Desk
LAHORE: Fakhar Zaman’s magnificent 127, Saad Baig’s maiden ODI half-century and crucial contributions from Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas powered Pakistan to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final of the tri-nation ODI series at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Chasing a challenging target of 326 runs, Pakistan recovered from an early collapse to reach 331 for seven in 48.3 overs, securing the title with nine balls to spare. The triumph also marked Pakistan’s first-ever victory in a tri-nation ODI series on home soil.
Fakhar Zaman led the successful chase with a brilliant 99-ball 127, registering his 12th ODI century and completing 4,000 runs in the format. Saad Baig provided crucial support with 74 off 75 deliveries, while Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas struck half-centuries to guide Pakistan home.
Earlier, Sri Lanka posted an imposing 325 for eight in their allotted 50 overs after Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and elected to field.
Kamindu Mendis was the standout performer for Sri Lanka, scoring a magnificent 131 off 128 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes. His innings featured a crucial 146-run partnership with Pavan Rathnayake, who contributed 77 off 65 deliveries.
Sri Lanka’s opening pair of Avishka Fernando and Kamindu Mendis provided a solid start, adding 87 runs for the first wicket. Fernando departed for 38 off 49 balls, while captain Kusal Mendis managed just eight runs.
Kamindu continued to anchor the innings despite the early setbacks, completing his maiden ODI century off 107 deliveries. Rathnayake complemented him with an aggressive knock before being dismissed by Haris Rauf.
Shaheen Shah Afridi also removed Kamindu Mendis and Dasun Shanaka, while Pakistan’s bowlers staged a strong comeback in the final 10 overs, claiming six wickets to restrict Sri Lanka to 325.
Shaheen, Salman Ali Agha, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah picked up two wickets apiece.
Pakistan’s Remarkable Comeback
Pakistan’s chase got off to a disastrous start as fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka struck twice in the opening stages.
Maaz Sadaqat departed for five, while former captain Babar Azam was dismissed without scoring, leaving Pakistan struggling at 14 for two.
However, Fakhar Zaman and Saad Baig steadied the innings with a match-defining 149-run partnership for the third wicket.
Saad displayed impressive composure against the fast bowlers, striking 11 boundaries in his 74-run knock. He completed his maiden ODI half-century before being dismissed by Maheesh Theekshana.
Fakhar, meanwhile, maintained an aggressive approach and brought up his century in just 83 deliveries. His 127-run innings included 11 fours and six sixes before Madushanka bowled him.
With Pakistan at 220 runs, the required target stood at another 106 runs. Salman Ali Agha’s dismissal for 17 further increased the pressure as Pakistan slipped to 230 for five.
Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas then took responsibility, adding a valuable 94 runs to bring Pakistan within touching distance of victory.
Arafat scored an attacking 61, while Hasan contributed 50 runs. Despite Arafat’s dismissal creating another brief moment of uncertainty, Pakistan eventually crossed the finish line at 331 for seven in 48.3 overs.
Pakistan’s Journey to the Final
The tri-nation ODI series, featuring Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, was held from October 18 to 31, with the opening three matches taking place in Rawalpindi and the remaining league fixtures and final staged at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Each team played four league matches, with Pakistan finishing at the top of the points table after securing three victories. Sri Lanka qualified for the final in second place.
Pakistan began its campaign with a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. The team also registered an 87-run win over England, with Salman Ali Agha playing a century-winning role.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, produced one of the tournament’s most remarkable performances by chasing down England’s massive 430-run target after the English side had posted 429 runs.
In another thrilling encounter in Lahore, Pakistan defeated England by one wicket. Shadab Khan played a memorable century-scoring innings and combined with Haris Rauf in a crucial last-wicket partnership to secure the dramatic victory.
However, Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by eight wickets in their October 27 encounter at Gaddafi Stadium, bowling out the home side for just 110 runs. Pakistan had already secured its place in the final despite that defeat.
The two sides met again in the title decider, where Pakistan turned the tables with a remarkable batting performance to lift the trophy.
Pakistan had previously participated in tri-nation ODI tournaments alongside Australia and South Africa in 1994, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in 2004, and New Zealand and South Africa in 2025. However, foreign teams won all three previous tournaments.
The latest triumph therefore marked a historic achievement for Pakistan cricket, as the national side finally secured its first tri-nation ODI title on home soil.
