Imam-ul-Haq is ecstatic after scoring a hundred on debut
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Imam-ul-Haq scored a 100 on debut and Hasan Ali took a five-wicket haul as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the third ODI in Abu Dhabi.
Imam, who is the nephew of chief selector and former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, became just the 13th player in history to score a century on debut in an ODI.
Pakistan were coming into the match on a high as they triumphed over Sri Lanka in a low-scoring affair in Dubai.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka made a great start to their innings as Niroshan Dickwella and captain Upul Tharanga amassed a 59-run partnership before Dickwella was clean bowled by Hasan Ali for 18.
Dinesh Chandimal only made 19 runs before he was trapped lbw off the bowling of Shadab Khan.
Chandimal opted to go for the review, but it went in vain as replays showed that the ball was pitching in line and going on to hit middle stump.
Tharanga ended up making 61 off 80 balls, which included five boundaries, before he was caught by Fakhar Zaman at deep square leg off the bowling of Shadab.
Upul Tharanga scored his 35th ODI fifty
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Once Tharanga was gone, Sri Lanka began to lose wickets in a hurry as a result of some superb bowling from Hasan.
However, Thisara Perera provided a late spark, scoring a quickfire 38, to help his side get to 208 before they were bowled out.
Hasan was the pick of the bowlers with five wickets, while Shadab snapped up two, and Junaid Khan and Mohammad Hafeez chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Hasan Ali took career-best figures of 5-34 off his 10 overs
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Chasing 209 to win, Pakistan got off to a fantastic start as Zaman and Imam put together a 78-run partnership before Zaman was stumped by Dickwella off the bowling of Jeffrey Vandersay.
Imam and Babar Azam kept the runs flowing with a 66-run stand, during which Imam surpassed his fifty, before Azam was cleaned up by Lahiru Gamage for 30.
Pakistan’s domination with the bat continued as Imam and Hafeez accumulated a 59-run partnership before Imam was caught behind off the bowling of Thisara for 100, which came off 125 balls and included five boundaries and two sixes.
Despite Imam being dismissed, Pakistan mopped up the remaining runs and ended up winning the match with 45 balls to spare.
Gamage, Vandersay and Thisara claimed one wicket each.
Imam was named Man of the Match.