Salman Agha’s masterful unbeaten 105 and Haris Rauf’s fiery 4-wicket haul powered Pakistan to a nail-biting six-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first ODI at Rawalpindi.
After being reduced to 95 for 4, Pakistan recovered strongly through a 138-run partnership between Agha and Hussain Talat, who made a gritty 62. Mohammad Nawaz added late fireworks with an unbeaten 36 as the hosts posted 299 for 5 in 50 overs.
Sri Lanka began their chase brightly with an 85-run opening stand between Pathum Nissanka and debutant Kamil Mishara, but a middle-order collapse halted their momentum. Despite a late surge from Wanindu Hasaranga, who smashed a fighting 59, and Maheesh Theekshana’s boundaries in the final over, the visitors fell six runs short at 293 for 9.
Hasaranga’s all-round effort, which included figures of 3 for 54, kept Sri Lanka in the contest, but Pakistan’s bowlers held their nerve in the tense finish to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
