Babar Azam became the fastest player to score seven ODI centuries
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Babar Azam and Shadab Khan starred in Abu Dhabi as their combined efforts saw Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka by 32 runs and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Azam scored his second consecutive ODI century as he made 101, while Shadab struck an unbeaten 52 and took three wickets.
Pakistan were coming into the match on a high as they demolished Sri Lanka by 83 runs in the first ODI in Dubai.
Choosing to bat first, Pakistan did not get off to a good start as openers Fakhar Zaman and Ahmed Shehzad were dismissed by Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal for 11 and eight runs respectively.
Mohammad Hafeez fared no better as he was caught behind off the bowling of Gamage for eight runs, while Shoaib Malik, who smashed an entertaining 81 in the first ODI, was caught behind off the bowling of Thisara Perera for 11.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed failed to rescue his side as he was clean bowled by Thisara for five runs, while Imad Wasim only mustered 10 runs before being trapped lbw off the bowling of Jeffrey Vandersay.
Wasim opted to review the decision, but it didn’t save him as replays showed that the ball was pitching in line and going on to hit the stumps.
With Pakistan staggering at 101/6, Azam and Shadab stemmed the bleeding and kept Sri Lanka at bay with a 109-run partnership, during which Azam brought up his hundred and Shadab his maiden fifty.
Shortly after bringing up his century, Azam was removed by Gamage for 101, which came off 133 balls and included six boundaries.
Azam’s century was his fifth successive one in the United Arab Emirates, which made him the first player to score five consecutive centuries in a country.
Hasan Ali was run out by Akila Dananjaya three balls later, while Rumman Raees was on his way back to the pavilion the very next ball.
However, Pakistan ended up finishing on 219/9 off their 50 overs thanks to Shadab’s career-best knock of 52 not out, which came off 68 deliveries and included a solitary boundary.
Gamage was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Thisara snapped up two, and Lakmal and Vandersay chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 220 to win, Sri Lanka made a similar start to Pakistan as opener Niroshan Dickwella was given out lbw off the bowling of Junaid Khan for three runs.
Kusal Mendis fell to Hasan Ali a few overs later, while Lahiru Thirimanne was trapped lbw off the bowling of Malik for 12 after putting together a 40-run partnership with captain Upul Tharanga.
With Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara and Dananjaya falling in quick succession thanks in large part to Shadab, Sri Lanka found themselves in all sorts of trouble at 93/7 in the 29th over.
Tharanga and Vandersay stabilised the innings with a 76-run partnership before Vandersay was caught by Shehzad at deep square leg off the bowling of Raees for 22.
Lakmal and Gamage only made one and three respectively as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 187.
Tharanga was left stranded on 112, which came off 144 balls and included 14 boundaries.
Upul Tharanga’s 15th ODI hundred went in vain
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Shadab was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Malik, Hafeez, Junaid, Raees and Hasan claimed one wicket each.
Shadab Khan excelled with both the bat and ball
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Tharanga was disappointed to have lost, and said: “Bowlers were really good today. It was a tough wicket. If you hung in there, it got better and better. Thirimanne’s wicket was crucial. The seam bowlers bowled especially well, and Akila and Vandersay did well. Disappointed to lose. Vandersay batted well too, but when you’re 90 for 7, it’s a tough task. It was good to carry the bat, but disappointed with the result.”
Sarfraz was relieved to have won the match, and said: “[Responding to Ramiz Raja’s question about his temper] The match position becomes this way sometimes and the temper comes out. The boys understand it and I always apologise to them later.
“Our batting collapsed but the way they batted after that on a difficult pitch was brilliant. Can’t praise the bowlers enough for defending this 220. Babar is young and he will adjust to Tests. He likes to play his shots so he enjoys success in ODIs. He’ll adapt to Tests, I’m confident of it.
“The pitch kept getting slower and slower, so batting wasn’t easy and that’s why we chose to bat. We’re trying to give confidence to the boys, like to Shadab today. If we trust the youngsters, they give us good performances.”
Shadab edged out Azam for the Man of the Match award, and said: “I’m grateful to Allah and the good wishes of my parents. Got an opportunity with the bat and I thought it’d be my first and last one and approached it like that. The coach told us to bat out the full 50 overs and that’s what we did. The kind of bowling line-up we have, we knew we could defend this.”