Dubai: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 83 runs in the first One-Day International (ODI) at the Dubai International Stadium Saturday, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Babar Azam displayed his wide repertoire of strokes to crack an elegant 103 while experienced Shoaib Malek scored a quickfire 81 to help Pakistan post a challenging 292 for 6 before the bowlers led by Rumman Raees (3 for 49) and Hasan Ali (3 for 36) restricted Sri Lanka to 209 for 8.
Azam’s sixth ODI ton came off 131 balls and contained five boundaries. Malek scored his 81 runs off 61 balls with five boundaries and two sixes.
It was a spectacular display of youth and experience. Azam, 22, was playing his 32nd ODI match while 35-year-old Malek was appearing in his 253rd. Together they put on 139 runs in 115 balls for the fourth wicket. Azam’s innings ended when he slogged a slower ball from Suranga Lakmal to Kusal Mendis at long on. Malek fell 19 runs short of a century in the 47th over when he holed out to deep mid-wicket off Lakmal.
Chasing a big total, Sri Lanka needed a quick start and opener Niroshan Dickwella went for his strokes right away. He hit three boundaries in his 13-ball 19 runs.
Rumman Raees, angling the ball, made Dickwella edge to wicketkeeper Sarfraz. Generating tremendous pace, Raees also trapped Dinesh Chandimal leg before with a brilliant indipper for 4.
Skipper Upul Tharanga and Lahiru Thirimanne added 21 runs in 7.3 overs when Mohammad Hafeez hit Tharanga’s middle stump with a slider for 18. Next man Kusal Mendis lasted only eight balls to score two runs before he was forced to top edge a skiddy bouncer from Hasan Ali.
Milinda Siriwardana fell to the very next ball to Ali’s delivery which straightened after pitching on a good length and hit his stumps.
With half the side back in the pavilion for 67 runs in 16 overs, Pakistan took complete control of the match.
Thisara Perera and Thirimanne put on 41 runs for the sixth wicket but leg break bowler Shadab Khan had Perera slog sweep to deep mid-wicket for 21. Raees trapped Thirimanne leg before for 53 but Akila Dananjay (50 n.o)and Jeffery Vandersay (25) delayed the defeat through a fighting 68 runs partnership for the eighth wicket.
Dew factor
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field mainly due to the dew factor which has often helped the team batting second here. Opener Fakhar Zaman, the hero of the Champions Trophy final against India, hit the first boundary of the day when Suranga Lakmal wavered in length allowing Zaman to flick it off his pads to the backward square leg boundary in the third over.
In the fourth over, Lahiru Gamage had opener Ahmad Shehzad flick into the hands of Dananjaya at square leg for a duck. Zaman eased the pressure of an early wicket by smashing Gamage past the non striker with sheer power. The shot was played with so much strength that non striker Azam just escaped being hit by the shot.
Azam began with a lovely straight drive off Gamage. This shot was played with absolute elegance past mid-on. At the end of the 10th over, Pakistan were 36 for 1 needing more acceleration to the run rate.
Strong start
Two boundaries were scored in the 12th over. The first boundary by Azam was played through the roll of his wrist and second by Zaman who top edged to fine leg fence.
In the 17th Zaman slog swept off spinner Dananjaya for a six but Dananjaya took revenge with the next ball. He gave the breakthrough by beating Zaman with the turn to hit his off stump. This delivery ended the 64 runs partnership in 12.4 overs between Zaman and Babar. Zaman hit 43 runs off 45 balls with four boundaries and one six.
Mohammad Hafeez, who joined Azam, began by sweeping Dananjaya. In the 21st over, Hafeez also played a cracking straight drive of Dananjaya which made long on and long off watch in appreciation as it raced to the boundary. Pakistan’s 100 runs came in the 22nd over.
Sri Lanka introduced left-arm spinner Siriwardana . Hafeez hit him to deep mid-wicket boundary. At the half way mark Pakistan were 115 for 2.
