Agha and Rauf shine as Pakistan eke out thrilling victory in 1st ODI

Riding on scintillating century by Salman Agha, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by six runs in the first match of the ODI series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

After posting a fighting total of 299/5, Pakistan restricted Lanka to 293/9 in their allotted 50 overs. Harris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers as he took 4/61 to help Pakistan eke out a narrow win.

Lanka put up a spirited performance despite an early setback, but failed to get over the line and fell short by six runs. with the victory, Pakistan took a vital lead of 1-0 in the three-match series.

Earlier, Agha cracked a brilliant century to lead Pakistan to 299-5 in the opening one-day international.

The match went ahead despite a suicide attack just a few miles from the stadium in the twin city of Islamabad, which killed at least 12 people and left several injured.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said security around the visiting team had been increased following the attack.

Agha scored an unbeaten 105 off 87 balls for his second ODI century while Hussain Talat made 62, lifting the home team from a precarious 95-4 after they were sent in to bat.

Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga had jolted the home team with figures of 3-54, before Agha and Talat added 138 for the fifth wicket to revive the innings.

Talat was finally dismissed in the 44th over, having hit a six and six fours in his maiden ODI fifty.

Agha struck nine boundaries, helping Pakistan add 104 in the last 10 overs alongside Mohammad Nawaz who scored a brisk 23-ball 36 not out.

It was pacer Asitha Fernando who provided the tourists a breakthrough in the fifth over when he trapped opener Saim Ayub leg-before for six.

Fakhar Zaman (32) and Babar Azam (29) added 54 runs for the second wicket as Pakistan crawled to 28 in the first 10 overs and finally reached 50 in the 16th.

Hasaranga then produced a 16-ball spell of destruction, removing Zaman, Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (five).

Sri Lanka must chase down a target of 300 to take the lead in the three-match series.

Meanwhile, right-handed batter Hasan Nawaz was released from Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series involving the hosts’ Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday.

PCB also said left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman will replace Nawaz in the T20I squad.

“Hasan will now feature in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class competition, with the seventh round beginning Nov.11,” further said the PCB in a statement.

So far, Nawaz has amassed 113 runs in four ODIs and 457 runs in 25 T20Is. After having a forgettable time in the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup in the UAE, Nawaz’s lean run continued in the white-ball games against South Africa at home via scores of 3, 5 and 1.

The tri-series will be taking place in Rawalpindi and Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from Nov.17-29.

Zimbabwe had taken Afghanistan’s place as the third team in the tri-series after the latter withdrew due to cross-border tensions with Pakistan.

The tri-series will be a crucial platform for the three teams to fine-tune their preparation for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, seamer Blessing Muzarabani has been ruled out due to injury as Zimbabwe named their squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Pakistan, starting on Nov.17.

The tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka, is a crucial platform for Zimbabwe’s build-up to next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, for which the side qualified for the first time since the 2022 edition of the mega event via the African qualifiers.

The only change from the Zimbabwe squad that recently faced Afghanistan at home is that fast bowling spearhead Muzarabani misses out due to a back injury. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) have said Newman Nyamhuri comes into the squad for the tri-series as his replacement.

Led by captain, veteran all-rounder Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe will open their campaign against hosts Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on November 17, before facing Sri Lanka at the same venue on November 19.

Zimbabwe will then travel to Lahore for their remaining round-robin fixtures – meeting Pakistan again on November 23 and followed by facing Sri Lanka on November 25 at the Gaddafi Stadium. The top two teams on the points table will contest the final on November 29 in Lahore.

Agencies