LAHORE: The blend of Pakistan batting’s experience and youth was on display here at a jam-packed Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday night. It was almost a seamless show that completed the job in style when Shaheen Shah Afridi smashed Sri Lankan pacer Dilshan Madushanka for a six in the penultimate over.

Veteran Fakhar Zaman first set the stage for the hosts to win the ODI tri-nation series final. The cracking century was followed by equally important knocks from young guns Saad Baig and Arafat Minhas both of whom rose up to the occasion as experienced middle-order batters Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha failed to deliver.

Fakhar is well-known for awesome match-winning knocks in finals. The rock-solid southpaw demonstrated it yet again, with some luck. Perhaps the experienced opener, who had remained out-of-form throughout the ODI tri-nation series, had saved his best for the all-important decider in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

The 127-run classic, his 12th ODI hundred, comprised initiative and go-get-it approach as his 99-ball knock helped Pakistan — not known for chasing big totals in knockout games — overhaul a healthy target of 326 with nine balls to spare. The 36-year-old Fakhar, the man -of-the-match, in the process also completed 4,000 ODI runs.

The inspiring three-wicket victory can surely act as a confidence booster for Shaheen and his men ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup.

Madushanka dented Pakistan’s chase early with a double blow sending opener Maaz Sadaqat (five) and Babar (duck) back to the hut as the hosts stumbled to 14-2 in the fourth over.

Babar was brilliantly caught by Pavan Rathnayake who grabbed the juggling ball almost in his fourth attempt in the slips. The 19-year-old Saad, playing his fifth ODI, joined Fakhar and the left-handed pair steered the team safely to 50-2 in the first 10 overs. Pakistan’s 100 came in the 20th over.

Saad completed his maiden half-century off 52 balls while Fakhar achieved the feat off 59 as the hosts launched a comeback. After a 149-run stand, Saad was caught and bowled by off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana in the 27th over. The 74-run knock came off 75 and contained 11 fours.

At the other end, Fakhar, as he usually does, accelerated just when it was required. Having completed the fifty, the belligerent batter raced to the century mark off 84 balls. His ton was embellished with 11 fours and half a dozen sixes.

SLOPPY SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka’s players were found wanting on many occasions — both in ground fielding as well as catching — that allowed Pakistan to maintain their push for victory.Fakhar’s memorable outing was not without fortune, that favours the brave, though. First, he was dropped by Theekshana off his own bowling. Then the same player could not grasp a difficult chance a few moments later as the ball deflected off his hands for a six at third man.

After Pakistan touched the 200-mark at the start of the 32nd over, things looked in their favour. However, the wickets of Fakhar and Salman in a space of 19 balls put them on the back foot.

Fakhar looked tired, as he charged down the track, when he was cleaned up by Madushanka. After making a 25-ball 17, Salman out of nowhere tried a slog sweep against orthodox left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage, only to see the timber behind him badly disturbed. This was the moment when it seemed the Green-shirts may falter in the chase as they were now 230-5 – needing another 96 runs off 79.

However, Arafat had other ideas.

After coming in to bat at number seven, the left-hander played a blazing innings and along with Hasan Nawaz (37 not out) made sure Pakistan remained on track with a match-winning partnership of 94 runs.

The 21-year-old Arafat breezed to his second ODI half-century off just 28 deliveries. He was claimed by pacer Asitha Fernando, caught and bowled, while top-edging a pull in the 48th over. By that time, however, the job had been done by the all-rounder who had smashed 61 from just 31 balls with the aid of three fours and four sixes.He earned the player-of-the-series award for an all-round show (143 runs and nine wickets).

KAMINDU’S CENTURY

Earlier, Kamindu Mendis’ maiden ODI century lifted Sri Lanka to a competitive total after they were sent into bat.Left-handed Kamindu along with Avishka Fernando gave the tourists a cautious but solid start.

After posting 51-0 in the first 10 overs, the right-left combination of Avishka and Kamindu extended their stand to 87 before Avishka (38) was trapped in front by Salman Ali Agha in the 18th over.

Just one over after Sri Lanka reached the century mark in the 21st over, Salman got his second wicket when he dismissed skipper Kusal Mendis (eight), caught and bowled, to leave Sri Lanka at 109-2.

The dismissal brought in-form Pavan Rathnayake to the crease. The right-hander alongside Kamindu stabilised the Sri Lankan innings as the duo added 146 runs. Kamindu, who had completed his fifty off 62 balls, continued to flourish as the innings continued completing the century off 107 balls. Rathnayake (77 off 65) was a bit more aggressive in his knock laced with eight fours.

The partnership was finally broken by Shaheen in the 42nd over.After contributing a solid 131 off 128 with the help of 12 fours and two sixes, Kamindu was eventually trapped by the Pakistan captain. Though the batter opted for DRS but to no avail.

Two overs later, Shaheen also dismissed Dasun Shanaka (17) caught by running-in Maaz at long-on while Rathnayake was caught by Babar off pacer Haris Rauf as Sri Lanka descended to 283-5 in the 45th over.

Janith Liyanage (six) was caught by Maaz off fast bowler Naseem Shah, Haris dismissed Dunith Wellalage (three) caught by Saad while Sahan Arachchige (15) was undone by Naseem.

Naseem took two wickets but gave away 80 runs while Haris (2-60) and Shaheen (2-50) proved less costly. Salman picked up 2-44 in seven overs with his occasional off-spin. Arafat remained wicketless (0-64).

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA:

A. Fernando lbw b Salman38

K.D. Mendis lbw b Shaheen131

K. Mendis c&b Salman8

P. Rathnayake c Babar b Haris77

D. Shanaka c Maaz b Shaheen17

J. Liyanage c Maaz b Naseem6

S. Arachchige c Faheem b Naseem15

D. Wellalage c Saad b Haris3

M. Theekshana not out9

A.M. Fernando not out6

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, NB-1, W-10)15

TOTAL (for eight wickets, 50 overs)325

DID NOT BAT: D. Madushanka

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-87 (A. Fernando), 2-109 (K. Mendis), 3-255 (K.D. Mendis), 4-279 (Shanaka), 5-283 (Rathnayake), 6-296 (Liyanage), 7-305 (Wellalage), 8-307 (Arachchige)

BOWLING: Shaheen 10-0-50-2, Naseem 10-0-80-2 (4w), Arafat 10-0-64-0 (2w, 1nb), Salman 7-0-44-2 (2w), Haris 10-1-60-2, Faheem 3-0-23-0

PAKISTAN:

Fakhar Zaman b Madushanka127

Maaz Sadaqat c Rathnayake b Madushanka5

Babar Azam c Rathnayake b Madushanka0

Saad Baig c&b Theekshana74

Salman Ali Agha b Wellalage17

Hasan Nawaz not out37

Arafat Minhas c&b A.M. Fernando61

Faheem Ashraf c Theekshana b A.M. Fernando0

Shaheen Shah Afridi not out6

EXTRAS (W-4)4

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 48.3 overs)331

DID NOT BAT: Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-8 (Maaz), 2-14 (Babar), 3-163 (Saad), 4-220 (Fakhar), 5-230 (Salman), 6-324 (Arafat), 7-324 (Faheem)

BOWLING: A.M. Fernando 9-1-72-2, Madushanka 9.3-1-63-3 (2w), Theekshana 10-0-57-1, Liyanage 2-0-15-0, Arachchige 1-0-9-0, Wellalage 10-0-58-1 (1w), Shanaka 7-0-57-0 (1w)

RESULT: Pakistan won by three wickets.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Fakhar Zaman

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Arafat Minhas

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2026