Right-handed batsman Babar Azam played a sensational knock of 115 while left-arm pacer Usman Shinwari snared 5 for 51 as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the second one-day international in Karachi on Monday.
It is to note that Karachi staged its first ODI in 10 years after the first match of the series was washed out without a ball being bowled on Friday.
Meanwhile, Azam also became the third-fastest to 11 ODI hundreds by getting past India captain Virat Kohli. South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock occupy the first two positions in the list, respectively.
Azam reached his 11th ODI hundred in his 71st innings while Kohli took 82 innings to get there.
After opting to bat first, Pakistan scored 305 for 7 in their stipulated quota of 50 overs. In reply, Shehan Jayasuriya (96) and Dasun Shanaka (68) helped the visitors stay in the hunt after they were reduced to 28 for 5 inside the first 11 overs.
But once the 177-run sixth-wicket stand was broken in the 41st over by Shinwari, who had Jayasuriya caught behind by skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, it was all over for Sri Lanka as Shadab Khan removed Shanaka in the next over with Fakhar Zaman taking a brilliant catch at deep midwicket.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 238 in 46.5 overs with Shinwari returning figures of 5 for 51 in his 10 overs.
Brief scores: Pakistan: 305 for 7 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 115, Fakhar Zaman 54; Wanindu Hasaranga 2/63) beat Sri Lanka: 238 all out in 46.5 overs (Shehan Jayasuriya 96, Dasun Shanaka 68; Usman Shinwari 5/51) by 67 runs.
(With inputs from IANS)