Babar Azam finally ended his 807-day wait for a one-day international century, scoring an unbeaten 102 to lead Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, sealing the three-match series with one game to spare.
The former Pakistan captain, under intense scrutiny after 83 innings without a three-figure score, hit eight boundaries in 119 innings that combined patience with poise.
He reached his milestone in the 47th over, taking pacer Pramod Madushan to mid-wicket for a single, before falling to his knees prostrate and hugging Mohammad Rizwan at the non-striker’s end. The Rawalpindi crowd erupted, having long awaited this moment.
In reaching the milestone, Babar equaled former opener Saeed Anwar’s record of most ODI hundreds for Pakistan – 20 centuries.
Rizwan played the ideal supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 51 off 54 balls, hitting five fours and a six. The pair added an unbroken 112 for the third wicket, guiding Pakistan over the finish line two balls into the 49th over.
The chase began explosively. Openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman reached 77-0 in the Powerplay. Saim smashed 33 off 25 balls (five fours and a six) before holing out pacer Dushmantha Chameera at mid-wicket in the 10th over.
Fakhar, dropped three times, anchored on 78 off 93 balls (eight fours and a six) before falling to Janith Liyanage’s excellent low catch at short medium off Chameera in the 31st over.
Sri Lanka’s mistakes on the field of play proved decisive. Fakhar survived a skier dropped by substitute Pavan Rathnayake, a missed loft from Asitha Fernando off Charith Asalanka and an earlier lead. These mistakes allowed Pakistan to maintain momentum on a pitch that offered little after the initial swing.
Chameera was Sri Lanka’s only wicket-taker, finishing with 2-58 in 10 overs. The rest struggled: Asitha Fernando lost 66 in 8.2 overs without success, Pramod Madushan conceded 62 for eight, while Wanindu Hasaranga, usually a threat, was run out for 35 for 10. Captain Asalanka’s part-time spin and Janith Liyanage’s medium pace offered no control.
Babar, initially cautious, gained confidence. He reached fifty off 66 balls with a short-arm jab, then accelerated with covers and trademark pulls. Rizwan, joining at 177-2, rotated the attack expertly before raising his fifty with a turn towards deep midfield.
The winning runs came from Asitha in the 49th over: Babar guided a low full delivery to cover. The couple walked away smiling, with the series sealed.
Earlier, after starring in the first match, Haris Rauf did it again as Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to 288-8.
The pacer, who finished with 3-66, responded every time he was asked, especially when Sri Lanka were threatening to post an even higher total where he took two quick wickets to extinguish their hopes.
Haris’ late spell came after leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (3-41) tore through Sri Lanka’s top order; His exploits gave Pakistan a good chance to wrap up the series despite a brave half-century from Liyanage and a counter-attacking 44 from Kamindu Mendis.
The match, initially scheduled for Thursday, was postponed to Friday following Tuesday’s terror attack in Islamabad, when Pakistan won the first match at the same venue.
Salman Ali Agha, in place of flu-hit captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, had opted to bowl after winning the toss and needed the work of fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Mohammad Waseem Jr in the deep for Pakistan to make their first breakthrough.
Pathum Nissanka (24) looked good, having hit four boundaries, but was left without attempting a risky third run, and his exit ended a 51-run opening stand.
Fellow opener Kamil Mishara (27) followed soon after; Rizwan’s quick glove work helped complete the defeat for Abrar, who missed the first game due to illness and was returning to the eleven after a winning performance against South Africa last week.
Abrar had been difficult to read for the Sri Lankan batsmen and struck again when Kusal Mendis (20) holed out Mohammad Nawaz inside the circle on the leg side.
Abrar was hit on the first boundary of his spell when Asalanka swept him, but the leg-spinner hit the next ball, trapping the left-handed lbw with a ball that drifted away after bowling.
Sri Lanka reached 100 in the 23rd over and the first six of their innings came with the first ball of the 24th over when Liyanage came down the track and hit Abrar over the long-on fence.
Abrar was taken out of the attack and that gave Sri Lanka the respite they needed and Liyanage and Sadeera Sameerawickrama (42) calmed down soon after.
When the latter got his third boundary off a shot from Nawaz in the 29th over, Salman felt Pakistan needed to change tactics. Haris was called into action and the pacer, fresh from picking up four wickets in the opening ODI, responded by cleaning up Sameerawickrama, who also hit a six, with a long ball that hit the top of his stump and ended a 61-run stand.
Incoming Kamindu bowled Haris for a six and with the calmer Liyanage took Sri Lanka to 200 in the 38th over. Pakistan turned to Abrar once again but Kamindu dismissed him for four as Sri Lanka prepared for a late charge.
Spinner Nawaz was sacked for 14 in the 41st over, where Liyanage added to his half-century off 56 deliveries and Kamindu got his second six. But Haris broke the 73-run partnership when Kamindu, who hit four fours during his 38-ball stay, was caught at the square fence.
Liyanage fell in the next over, hitting Waseem with Nawaz at midwicket before Haris caught Chameera lbw. Hasaranga’s unbeaten 37 in the end ensured Sri Lanka beat Pakistan on 289.
