Pakistan began their ODI tri-series campaign with a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 18. After being asked to bat first, the hosts recovered from early setbacks to post 305 runs, with Salman Agha leading the charge with a century. Sri Lanka fought back with the ball in the death overs but faced a challenging target in their chase.

During Pakistan’s innings, Sri Lankan batter Pavan Rathnayake produced a sharp piece of fielding to dismiss Hasan Nawaz at a crucial stage. The catch ended a 97-run fifth-wicket partnership and gave Sri Lanka a breakthrough just as Pakistan were rebuilding their innings. However, Agha continued to guide the hosts towards a competitive total, which eventually proved enough to secure victory.

Pavan Rathnayake takes a sharp catch to dismiss Hasan Nawaz

The dismissal came in the 38th over when Asitha Fernando bowled a short delivery that cramped Nawaz for room. The Pakistan batter attempted to pull the ball towards mid-wicket but could not generate enough power as the delivery came close to his body. Rathnayake reacted quickly at mid-wicket and completed a sharp overhead catch to send Nawaz back to the pavilion for 37 off 49 balls, including two fours and two sixes.

The wicket ended a 97-run partnership between Nawaz and Agha, who had helped Pakistan recover after losing four wickets inside the first 22 overs. Agha continued anchoring the innings, scoring 107 off 90 deliveries to guide Pakistan to 305 before the side was bowled out. Eshan Malinga claimed four wickets for 46 runs, while Fernando finished with three for 59.

Here’s the video:

Pavan Rathnayake takes a sharp catch to dismiss Hasan Nawaz in tri-series opener pic.twitter.com/1XOOvz3HIU

— Ekansh (@Ekansh6914101) October 19, 2026

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Salman Agha’s century powers Pakistan to victory

Agha played a crucial role in Pakistan’s recovery, scoring 107 off 90 balls to guide the hosts to 305 before they were bowled out. His fourth ODI century included several important partnerships that helped Pakistan recover from early setbacks. Sri Lanka’s Malinga claimed four wickets for 46 runs, while Fernando picked up three wickets for 59. Despite their efforts, Pakistan had enough runs on the board to put the visitors under pressure during the chase.

Sri Lanka struggled early as Pakistan’s bowlers removed four of their top-order batters. Rathnayake and Liyanage then revived the chase with a 119-run fifth-wicket partnership that brought the visitors within reach of victory. Rathnayake scored 79, while Liyanage contributed 60. With Sri Lanka needing 55 runs from the final seven overs, the pair appeared to have shifted the momentum in their team’s favour.

However, Liyanage’s dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse. Sri Lanka lost their final five wickets for just 15 runs, sealing a 37-run victory for Pakistan. Shaheen Shah Afridi finished with three wickets for 55 runs as Pakistan began their tri-series campaign with a win.

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