Babar Azam ended a wait of 1,172 days for his 20th ODI century, anchoring Pakistan to an eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi and clinching an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series on Friday. His unbeaten 102 off 119 balls (8x4) steered the hosts to a comfortable chase of 289 with 10 balls remaining.
I had been waiting for this like the fans. I got starts in a few games against South Africa, too, but you only get what you wish when God wants you to. I was trying to spend as much time at the crease.
The century drew him level with Saeed Anwar for the most ODI hundreds by a Pakistan batter, achieving the mark in just 136 innings, 107 fewer than Anwar. It was also his 32nd international century, taking him past Saeed and Javed Miandad.
Strong Bowling Effort Sets Up the Win
Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers set the tone by restricting Sri Lanka to 288/8. Abrar Ahmed (3-41) and Haris Rauf (3-66) led the attack, dismantling the visitors’ momentum despite useful contributions from Janith Liyanage (54), Kamindu Mendis (44), and Sadeera Samarawickrama (42).
Sri Lanka reached 51 for the first wicket before Abrar struck thrice to push them from 83/1 to 98/4. Partnerships between Liyanage and Samarawickrama (61 runs), followed by Liyanage and Kamindu (73 runs), gave the innings some stability. Wanindu Hasaranga’s unbeaten 37 off 26 balls ensured the total approached 290.
A lot of wides and extras in the first two overs. It’s really hard to come back on these wickets. After 10–15 overs, dew came and things got harder..
Saim’s Burst, Fakhar’s Fluency Lay the Platform
Pakistan’s chase began with a flurry as Saim Ayub hammered 33 off just 25 deliveries, racing the hosts to 77 inside 10 overs. His departure brought together Fakhar Zaman and Babar, who crafted a 100-run stand that took the sting out of Sri Lanka’s attack. Fakhar’s 93-ball 78, studded with eight fours and a six, kept Pakistan ahead of the required rate before he fell in the 31st over.
It’s a complete batting performance from us. When you're chasing 280-odd, we need partnerships, and we did that very well. It was a 320–330 wicket for us, so I was very happy to keep them to 290.
Babar and Rizwan Finish the Job
After Fakhar’s dismissal, Babar found a steady partner in Mohammad Rizwan. The pair added an unbroken 112 runs, with Rizwan finishing on 51 not out (54b, 5x4, 1x6). Babar reached his milestone in the 48th over, sealing a clinical run chase.
Dushmantha Chameera, the standout among Sri Lanka’s bowlers, picked up 2-51 but lacked support in dewy conditions.
The win marked Pakistan’s fourth straight bilateral ODI series victory over Sri Lanka since 2015, extending their recent momentum after the 2-1 triumph against South Africa.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 288/8 in 50 overs (Janith Liyanage 54, Kamindu Mendis 44, Sadeera Samarawickrama 42, Wanindu Hasaranga 37 not out; Abrar Ahmed 3-41, Haris Rauf 3-66) Pakistan 289/2 in 48.2 overs (Babar Azam 102 not out, Fakhar Zaman 78, Mohammad Rizwan 51 not out; Dushmantha Chameera 2-58). Pakistan won by eight wickets and lead the series 2-0.
