Pakistan wins the first match of the tri-nation ODI cricket series, defeating Sri Lanka.

In the opening match of the 2026/27 Pakistan Tri-Nation ODI Cricket series, the host Pakistan team managed to record a thrilling 37-run victory over Sri Lanka yesterday (18). In this day-night match played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the Sri Lankan team, chasing a target of 306 runs, could only manage to score 268 runs before being all out in 48.1 overs.

After Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to field first, the Pakistanis, who came to the crease, scored 305 runs for their innings. While chasing that massive target, several early Sri Lankan wickets fell quickly against the Pakistani fast bowlers. However, Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage, who joined at the crease for the fifth wicket, built the Sri Lankan innings with a 119-run partnership. Pavan scored 79 runs off 74 balls, including 6 fours and 2 sixes. Janith Liyanage scored 60 runs off 74 balls.

With this partnership, Sri Lanka gained some control of the match, and only 55 runs were needed for victory in the last 7 overs. However, with Janith Liyanage's dismissal, the complete advantage of the match shifted towards Pakistan. Against the intense pressure from the Pakistani fast bowlers, the collapse of Sri Lanka's last 5 wickets for just 15 runs changed the course of the match. Haris Rauf took Asitha Fernando's wicket, bringing an end to the Sri Lankan innings. In bowling, Shaheen Afridi took 3 wickets for 55 runs, while Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Faheem Ashraf each took 2 wickets for 43, 48, and 49 runs respectively.

Earlier, the start of Pakistan's innings, batting first, was also not successful. Saim Ayub was dismissed for 7 runs and Fakhar Zaman for 16 runs against Dilshan Madushanka's bowling. Thereafter, Babar Azam and Saad Baig, who was playing his maiden ODI international match, joined at the crease and stabilized the innings by building a 74-run partnership for the third wicket. Ishan Malinga managed to break the partnership between Babar, who had scored 45 runs off 57 balls, and Saad Baig, who had scored 39 runs off 40 balls.

Salman Ali Agha, who had been facing a setback due to his recent removal from the Test and T20 squads, then came to the crease and took control of Pakistan's innings. He recorded his fourth century in his ODI cricket career, scoring 107 runs off 90 balls, including 10 fours and one six. He completed his century off 82 balls by hitting two consecutive fours in an over bowled by Asitha Fernando. It was also his fastest ODI century in his cricket career. Salman, who built partnerships of 97 runs with Hasan Nawaz (37) and 64 runs with Arafat Minhas (18), was also awarded the Man of the Match.

It was noteworthy that the successful Sri Lankan bowlers managed to take Pakistan's last 5 wickets for just 26 runs in the final few overs. Although Shaheen Afridi scored runs in the latter part, Ishan Malinga, who took 4 wickets for 46 runs in 9.5 overs, and Asitha Fernando, who took 3 wickets for 59 runs, restricted Pakistan's innings to 305 runs in 49.5 overs. Dilshan Madushanka took 2 wickets for 67 runs.

The next match of this tri-nation series, which also includes England, is scheduled to be played between Pakistan and England on October 20, also in Rawalpindi. The final match of this series, which is centered around the cities of Rawalpindi and Lahore, will be held on October 31.