Abid Ali (right) and Fakhar Zaman both made fifties

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pakistan openers Abid Ali and Fakhar Zaman scored 74 and 76 respectively to lead their side to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third ODI in Karachi.

Choosing to bat first, Sri Lanka lost opener Avishka Fernando in the third over as he was caught behind off the bowling of Mohammad Amir for four runs.

Gunathilaka and stand-in captain Lahiru Thirimanne made up for the loss of Avishka with an 88-run partnership before Thirimanne was caught and bowled by Mohammad Nawaz for 36.

Gunathilaka and Angelo Perera added 50 runs to the score before Perera was dismissed by Usman Khan Shinwari for 13.

Gunathilaka and debutant Minod Bhanuka kept the runs flowing with a 74-run stand before Bhanuka was run out for 36.

Shehan Jayasuriya fell shortly after, while Gunathilaka went on to score a career-best 133, which came off 134 balls and included 16 boundaries and a six, before he was cleaned up by Amir.

Danushka Gunathilaka celebrates after scoring his second ODI century

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals from thereon, but with Dasun Shanaka hammering a 24-ball 43, the tourists finished on 297/9 off their 50 overs.

Amir was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Shinwari, Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Wahab Riaz snapped up one wicket apiece.

Chasing 298 to win, Pakistan got off to a magnificent start as Abid and Zaman put together a 123-run partnership, during which Abid raced past his half-century.

He ended up making a 67-ball 74, which included 10 boundaries, before he was trapped lbw off the bowling of Wanindu Hasaranga.

Zaman and Babar Azam kept the scoreboard ticking with a 58-run stand, during which Zaman brought up his fifty, before Azam was given out lbw off the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep for 31.

Zaman went on to score 76, which came off 91 balls and included seven boundaries and a six, before he was sent packing by Pradeep.

Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed only made 23 runs before he was clean bowled by Lahiru Kumara.

However, Haris Sohail steadied things and put Pakistan within touching distance of victory before he was cleaned up by Jayasuriya for a 50-ball 56, which included three boundaries and a six.

Iftikhar Ahmed and Wahab mopped up the remaining runs to lead Pakistan to victory with 10 balls to spare.

Pradeep was the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Kumara, Hasaranga and Jayasuriya claimed one wicket each.

Abid was named Man of the Match.