Salman Agha’s commanding 107 off 90 balls powers Pakistan to victory in the opening ODI tri-series match, while the fast bowlers dismantle Sri Lanka’s chase in Rawalpindi.
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan began their ODI Tri-Series 2026 campaign with a convincing 37-run victory over Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday, October 18, as Salman Agha delivered a match-winning century to set up the hosts’ triumph.
Salman Agha struck a brilliant 107 off 90 balls, earning the Player of the Match award and providing Pakistan with the crucial batting foundation after Sri Lanka elected to bowl first.
The hosts overcame early pressure from the Sri Lankan bowlers before their pace attack took control of the chase, ensuring a winning start to the three-team competition, which also features England.
Salman Agha’s century rescues Pakistan
Pakistan initially struggled against Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling, with Dilshan Madushanka causing problems and the short-ball strategy producing regular breakthroughs.
However, Salman Agha steadied the innings and built a vital partnership with debutant Saad Baig, who contributed a useful knock. Salman combined patience with calculated aggression, rotating the strike and targeting gaps in the field rather than taking unnecessary risks.
His century proved decisive, particularly after he had been dropped from Pakistan’s Test side the previous month. The batter subsequently returned to domestic cricket and registered a triple century, rebuilding his confidence ahead of the tri-series.
Salman’s composed innings helped Pakistan establish a competitive total beyond the 300-run mark. Sri Lanka’s Eshan Malinga mounted a late challenge with four wickets, but Shaheen Afridi struck a couple of boundaries towards the end to strengthen Pakistan’s position.
Speaking after receiving the Player of the Match award, Salman said his return to domestic cricket had helped him regain form. He explained that his priority was to build partnerships, maintain the scoring rate and put pressure on the opposition by finding gaps in the field.
Sri Lanka’s middle-order resistance falls short
Chasing Pakistan’s total, Sri Lanka made a sluggish start and struggled to build meaningful partnerships. Kamindu Mendis attempted to anchor the innings but watched wickets fall at the other end before departing short of a half-century.
With Sri Lanka under mounting pressure, Janith Liyanage and Pavan Rathnayake revived their hopes through a 119-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Both batters capitalised during the middle overs, taking advantage of a softer ball and conditions that became more favourable for batting as the innings progressed.
However, Pakistan broke the partnership at a crucial stage, effectively ending Sri Lanka’s hopes of completing the chase. Rathnayake departed after a valuable contribution, while Liyanage also fell towards the end.
Sri Lanka subsequently lost their final six wickets for just 58 runs, allowing Pakistan to regain control and seal the victory. The defeat also extended Sri Lanka’s unwanted record of never having successfully chased a target exceeding 300 runs against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s fast bowlers seal the victory
Pakistan’s pace attack delivered a disciplined performance to defend the total, with Naseem Shah setting the tone through an impressive opening spell.
Supported by his fellow seamers, Naseem helped reduce Sri Lanka to 91 for four, leaving the visitors struggling to keep pace with the required scoring rate.
Pakistan had to exercise patience during the middle overs, as dew and the softer ball helped the Sri Lankan batters rebuild their innings. Nevertheless, Faheem Ashraf provided a crucial breakthrough before Haris Rauf helped finish the job.
Shaheen Afridi claimed three wickets, while Naseem Shah, Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf took two wickets each, according to the match summary.
The collective performance of the pace attack proved decisive, as Pakistan capitalised on the collapse following Liyanage and Rathnayake’s partnership.
Pakistan face England in their next match
The victory gives Pakistan early momentum in the ODI Tri-Series 2026, although the hosts will face a fresh challenge when they meet England on Tuesday, October 20, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will look to recover quickly in their next outing to avoid falling further behind in the competition.
With Salman Agha rediscovering his form and Pakistan’s pace attack delivering a strong performance, the hosts have made an encouraging start to the series. Their next encounter against England will provide a more demanding test of their batting depth and bowling consistency.