Fakhar Zaman century delivers tri-series title for Pakistan

Pakistan won the ODI tri-series final at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday, beating Sri Lanka by three wickets after chasing 326 with nine balls to spare.

Fakhar Zaman made 127 from 99 balls, his 12th one-day international century and his first in three years, according to The Express Tribune. He reached three figures off 84 balls, hit 11 fours and six sixes, and passed 4,000 ODI runs when he got to 108.

Saad Baig shared a third-wicket stand of 149 with him, making 74 off 75 balls with 11 fours before Maheesh Theekshana held a return catch. Fakhar added 57 for the fourth wicket with Salman Ali Agha, who made 17, before Dilshan Madushanka bowled him.

Madushanka had given Pakistan a poor start, removing Maaz Sadaqat for 5 and Babar Azam for 0, and finished with 3-63 from 9.3 overs.

Arafat Minhas then made 61 from 31 balls, with four sixes and three fours, in a sixth-wicket stand of 94 with Hasan Nawaz that took the chase away from Sri Lanka. Asitha Fernando removed Minhas and then bowled Faheem Ashraf for a duck with the next delivery, but Hasan Nawaz and Shaheen Afridi, unbeaten on 6, finished the job.

Pakistan had chosen to field after winning the toss. Kamindu Mendis made 131 from 128 balls, his maiden ODI hundred, and Pavan Rathnayake 77 from 65 as Sri Lanka posted 325 for eight.

The pair put on 146 for the third wicket after Salman Ali Agha broke an opening stand of 87 by trapping Avishka Fernando lbw for 38. Salman also dismissed captain Kusal Mendis for 8, leaving Sri Lanka 109 for two.

Haris Rauf ended both large partnerships, dismissing Kamindu in the 42nd over and Rathnayake later. Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha and Haris Rauf took two wickets each. Naseem conceded 80 runs in his ten overs.

Pakistan brought Faheem Ashraf in for Shadab Khan, who was not feeling well. Sri Lanka left out Eshan Malinga and included the spinner Maheesh Theekshana.