The second five-wicket haul of Usman Shinwari in ODIs helped Pakistan to dominate the game. Samarawickrama, Thirimanna, Fernando, Jayasuriya and Udana were fallen prey to Shinwari's pace bowling. He was declared man of the match. The crowd turnout was trifling early in the day but it turned to be fantastic in second inning with over 70 percent of seat occupancy.
Although it was much expected outcome of the game, career-best innings and record partnership of 177 runs played by Sri Lankan middle order batmen - Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka created some difficulties for Pakistan. Both played good knock under pressure that assisted Sri Lanka to avoid shameful defeat.
Except this record sixth wicket partnership of 177 runs against Pakistan, no Sri Lankan batmen appeared confident against Pakistan's bowling attack that outclassed the Sri Lankans batting lineup especially Shinwari's three quick wickets in the beginning of the game restrained Islanders to achieve the target of 306 runs.
Sri Lankan openers did not give an impressive start to his side. Samarawickrama (6 of 14 balls) was the first victim of Usman's pace bowling when 18 runs were on the board. He hit one boundary. This Sri Lankan side seemed much weaker than Pakistan as it lost four wickets in just 8 overs with having 22 runs on the scoreboard.
Gunathilaka threw his wicket in 6.1 overs and gave an easy catch at mid-on to Imad on Amir's slow offcutter. Imam-ul-Haq was off from the field due to left hand injury but he will be available for next match, PCB officials said. Imad took Oshada Fernando's wicket (1 of14 balls). He was leg before wicket (lbw) in 10.1 overs.
Then, Sri Lankan middle order batmen - Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka showed some resistance and gave stability to Sri Lankan innings. They made record sixth wicket partnership of 177 runs against Pakistan. Jayasuria was caught behind by Sarfaraz on Shinwari's late in-swinger in 40.5 overs. He scored 96 of 109 balls with seven boundaries and one huge six.
After a span of just two balls, Shanka sensed a pressure and lost his wicket while playing a big hit on Shadab at deep mid-wicket. Fakhar took his catch. He made 68 of 80 balls with six boundaries and two sixes. Shadab took two wickets while Aamir, Imad and Wahad grabbed one wicket each. Earlier, Babar's brilliant 115 runs knock helped Pakistan to set a target of 306 runs for Sri Lanka.
Babar's inning concluded in 45.5 overs. He was caught at square leg on Lehiru Kumara's ball. He made 115 runs of 105 balls with a strike rate of 109.52. He hit eight boundaries and smashed four sixes. He also achieved a milestone of fastest 1000 runs in ODIs for Pakistan followed by Javed Miandad and Muhammad Yusuf. He scored the runs in only 19 innings.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Fakhar Zaman and Imam opened the innings for Pakistan and gave a reasonable start to Pakistani innings. The opening pair put on 73 in 14.3 overs then Wanidu Hasaranga took Imam's wicket on forth ball of his first over. Imam made 31 of 41 balls. Another wicket fell down in 20th over when Wanidu tossed his fifth ball of fourth over fuller and closer to Fakhar's swing, forcing Fakhar to go for drive that ended up getting his wicket. Isuru Udana took Fakhar's well-judged catch. He made 54 runs of 65 balls and remained unable to play big inning.
Babar and Haris made a partnership of 111 runs then Haris got run out by wicketkeeper Samarawickrama at non-sticker's end while attempting to take a run on a Pardeep's ball in 39.2 overs. The throw was relayed to the bowler and he took out the stumps from a yard away with Sohail well short. Haris struck one boundary in his 40 runs inning of 48 balls with a strike rate of 83.33.
The partnership between Sarfaraz and Babar broke at 27 runs when Thirimanne's direct hit at the non-striker's end from extra cover ran Sarfaraz out. He made only 8 runs on12 balls. Imad's wicket fell in 48.3 overs when he went on a normal pace delivery of Udana but failed to hit back of the length ball that led his top edge and ended up to his wicket at deep point by Fernando. He made 12 runs of 8 balls with two boundaries.
Wahab got run out at the non-striker's end in 49th over when he tried to take third run. President Arif Alvi while visiting National Stadium Karachi (NSK) said that visit of Sri Lankan team for playing three ODIs and three T20 matches in Pakistan was a positive sign for Pakistan cricket and added that he would request the Sri Lankan cricket board to send its team for playing test series in Pakistan.
Sports Minister for Sri Lankan Harin Fernando while appreciating the security arrangements said this series would help Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to convince other international teams to play in Pakistan and hoped that senior players would also visit Pakistan soon. Sri Lankan captain said that both middle order batmen played well but unfortunately they did not play well in early of the innings and added that it was a good series for us to find new talent.
Pakistani skipper Sarfaraz said we had to improve our bowling especially in crunch situation and hoped to perform better in next matches and added that they would induct new players for T20 series.
Scoreboard
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Pakistan
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F. Zaman c Udana b Hassaranga 54
I. Haq lbw b de Silva 31
B. Azam c Hasaranga b Kumara 115
Haris Sohail run out 40
Sarfaraz Ahmed run out 8
Iftikhar Ahmed not out 32
Imad Wasim c Fernando b Udana 12
Wahab Riaz run out 2
Extras: (lb 8, nb 2, w1) 11
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Total: (for 7 wkts; 50 overs) 305
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Did not bat: Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari Fall of wickets: 1-73 (Imam), 2-104 (Zaman), 3-215 (Sohail), 4-242 (Sarfaraz Ahmed, 43.6 ov), 5-261 (Babar Azam, 45.5 ov), 6-278 (Wasim), 7-305 (Riaz)
Bowling: Jayasuriya 10-1-48-0, Pradeep 9-0-59-0, Udana 9-0-60-1 (2w), Kumara 10-0-59-1, Gunathilaka 2-0-8-0, Hasaranga 10-0-63-2 (1nb)
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Sri Lanka
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D. Gunathilaka c I. Wasim b Amir 14
S. Samarawickrama b U. Shinwari 6
A. Fernando c Fakhar b U. Shinwari 0
O. Fernando lbw b I. Wasim 1
L. Thirimanne c Sarfaraz b U. Shinwari 0
S. Jayasuriya c Sarfaraz b U. Shinwari 96
D. Shanaka c F. Zaman b Shadab 68
W. Hasaranga c Iftikar b Shadab 30
I. Udana c Sarfaraz b U. Shinwari 1
L. Kumara lbw b Wahab 1
N. Pradeep not out 0
Extras: (b1, lb 15, w 5) 21
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Total: (all out; 46.5 overs) 238
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Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Samarawickrama), 2-22 (Gunathilaka), 3-22 (Avishka), 4-22 (Thirimanne), 5-28 (Oshada), 6-205 (Jayasuriya), 7-205 (Shanaka), 8-211 (Udana)
Bowling: Amir 7-1-21-1 (2w), Shinwari 10-1-51-5 (1w), Wasim 7-1-38-1, Wahab 9-0-27-1 Shadab 9.5-0-76-2 (1w), Iftikar 4-1-9-0 (1w)
Result: Pakistan won by 67 runs
Toss: Pakistan
Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG) and Shozaib Raza (PAK)
TV umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS).