ABU DHABI: Imam-ul-Haq became the third youngest player to score a century on his One-day International debut and Hasan Ali grabbed 5-34 as Pakistan hammered Sri Lanka by seven wickets to secure a series victory on Wednesday (partly reported in Thursday’s edition).
Pakistan took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, with Sri Lanka’s losing streak in ODIs now stretching to 10 matches.
The 21-year-old Imam is the nephew of Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former captain and Pakistan’s current chief selector. The left-hander hit 100 off 125 balls with two sixes and five fours to help Pakistan cruise to 209-3 in 42.3 overs.
Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga top-scored with 61 after winning the toss and opting to bat first, but his team’s batting woes in the series continued before they were finally dismissed for 208 in 48.2 overs.
Hasan became the quickest Pakistani bowler to complete 50 wickets in ODIs, claiming the feat in 24 matches, three fewer than the previous record set by Waqar Younis.
Imam, replacing out-of-form Ahmed Shehzad at the top order, dominated two productive stands — adding 78 with Fakhar Zaman (29) and further 66 with Babar Azam (30).
Imam looked confident from the onset when he smashed seamer Lahiru Gamage for a six over point. Wicket-keeper Dickwella twice dropped Imam, on 29 and 89, before finally catching him down the leg side.
But Imam could have missed that milestone as he was reprieved on 89, having been given out caught behind by Niroshan Dickwella off Lahiru Gamage.
As he was walking back, television umpire Richard Kettleborough found the ball had touched the ground before reaching Dickwella’s gloves. A relieved Imam returned to the crease and completed his hundred. Mohammad Hafeez remained not out on 34, scoring the winning single.
Imam said his heart was in his mouth when he was given out.
“I thought I had missed a great chance of scoring a hundred,” said Imam, who was also Pakistan’s top run-scorer when they reached the 2014 Under-19 World Cup final in the United Arab Emirates. But Hafeez told me to wait as the ball had touched the ground, so I am lucky and proud to have scored a hundred on my debut and that too with a record.”
Pakistan’s Saleem Elahi is the youngest century scorer on debut, also against Sri Lanka, as an 18-year-old in 1995. Mark Chapman of Hong Kong is the second-youngest at 21 years and 142 days, when he managed the feat against the UAE in 2015. Imam will be 22 in December.
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA:
N. Dickwella b Hasan 18
W.U. Tharanga c Fakhar b Shadab 61
L.D. Chandimal lbw b Shadab 19
C.K. Kapugedera c and b Hasan 18
H.D.R.L. Thirimanne c Sarfraz b Hafeez 28
T.A.M. Siriwardana c Fakhar b Junaid 2
J.D.F. Vandersay c Sarfraz b Hasan 0
N.L.T.C. Perera run out 38
A. Dananjaya c Sarfraz b Hasan 1
P.L.S. Gamage c Sarfraz b Hasan 10
P.V.D. Chameera not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-1, B-3, W-9) 13
TOTAL (all out, 48.2 overs) 208
FALL OF WKTS: 1-59, 2-102, 3-112, 4-137, 5-140, 6-141, 7-162, 8-163, 9-205.
BOWLING: Junaid Khan 8-0-32-1; Rumman Raees Khan 7.2-0-52-0 (6w); Mohammad Hafeez 8-0-39-1 (1w); Hasan Ali 10-0-34-5 (1w); Fahim Ashraf 5-0-10-0; Shadab Khan 10-0-37-2 (1w).
PAKISTAN:
Imam-ul-Haq c Dickwella b Perera 100
Fakhar Zaman st Dickwella b Vandersay 29
Babar Azam b Gamage 30
Mohammad Hafeez not out 34
Shoaib Malik not out 0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-9) 16
TOTAL (for three wkts, 42.3 overs) 209
FALL OF WKTS: 1-78, 2-144, 3-203.
DID NOT BAT: Sarfraz Ahmed, Fahim Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees Khan, Junaid Khan.
BOWLING: Gamage 7-1-35-1 (1w); Chameera 10-0-33-0 (3w); Dananjaya 10-0-57-0 (2w); Vandersay 9.3-1-43-1 (1w); Siriwardana 2-0-12-0; Perera 4-0-22-1 (2w).
RESULT: Pakistan won by seven wickets to lead five-match series 3-0.
UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza (Pakistan) and S. Ravi (India).
TV UMPIRE: R.A. Kettleborough (England).
MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Imam-ul-Haq.
FIRST MATCH: Dubai, Pakistan won by 83 runs.
SECOND MATCH: Abu Dhabi, Pakistan won by 32 runs.
FOURTH MATCH: Sharjah (D/N), Friday.
FIFTH MATCH: Sharjah (D/N), Monday.
Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2017
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