Salman Agha ton, Eshan Malinga four-for as Pakistan notch 305

Salman Agha marked his return to the Pakistan side with his fourth ODI hundred to hold off a collapse and steer the home side past 300. By the 22nd over, Pakistan had lost four wickets, and looked vulnerable with a relatively long tail. However, a 90-ball 107 navigated Pakistan expertly out of danger in big partnerships with Hasan Nawaz and Arafat Minhas. Sri Lanka, however, deprived Pakistan of a big finish with Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando striking multiple blows in the death overs to ultimately bowl Pakistan out for 305.

Sri Lanka's fortune with the toss carried over to the ODI series, and they inserted Pakistan in Rawalpindi. There was early swing on offer, but it was the extra pace from Dilshan Madushanka that accounted for both openers. Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman were both undone by the short delivery, leaving Babar Azam and debutant Saad Baig to rebuild.

The duo put on 74 and were beginning to get the asking rate ticking upwards. However, Babar's frustrating recent knack of giving away auspicious starts reared its familiar head once more. Malinga was Sri Lanka's quickest bowler through the innings, and he landed one short that rushed onto Babar, who was late on the pull just five shy of a half-century. Soon after Baig, who had shown promise as well as a willingness to pull rather than back away from bouncers, miscued one himself, holing out to deep fine leg.

It was precisely the sort of situation Agha thrives in - the middle overs of an ODI with an innings to rebuild. He did so flawlessly, halting Sri Lanka's momentum while staying on top of the run rate, keeping the strike ticking along, and adeptly covering for Hasan Nawaz, who had made a more sluggish start. He capitalised when Sri Lanka erred by turning prematurely to Kamindu Mendis' spin, taking 11 off the 25th over to turn momentum around.

Sri Lanka began to look more toothless with the ball through those middle overs as Agha's comfort grew. He dominated the stand and brought up his half-century off 48 balls. Nawaz had begun to loosen his shoulders too, illustrated by a six off legspinner Sachindu Colombage, but Asitha rooted him out the following over, stopping their fifth-wicket partnership at 97. Agha played a similar shepherding role with Minhas for the sixth wicket, the pair putting on 64, with Agha once again taking on the lion's share.

Twenty-six runs came off the 44th and 45th overs, but just as Pakistan looked for a big finish, Sri Lanka's bowlers hit back. Minhas and Agha fell trying to hit sixes, and Pakistan's lower order soon followed, with Malinga getting rid of Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah off successive balls. A pair of lusty blows from Shaheen Shah Afridi allowed Pakistan to scratch past 300, but the visitors should by no means consider the target insurmountable.