Pakistan Edge Sri Lanka by 6 Runs in Nail-Biting 1st ODI Thriller at Rawalpindi, November 11, 2025 – In a heart-stopping opener to the three-match ODI series, Pakistan survived a fierce Sri Lankan onslaught to clinch a dramatic 6-run victory at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Salman Agha’s gritty unbeaten century anchored the hosts to 299/5 after a top-order collapse, while Haris Rauf’s fiery 4-wicket haul and clutch performances from the bowlers sealed the deal as Sri Lanka fell agonizingly short at 293/9. The win hands Pakistan a 1-0 lead, vindicating captain Shaheen Afridi’s bold decision to bat first on a batsman-friendly pitch.The match, played under clear skies with a sell-out crowd of over 15,000 roaring on, showcased the resurgence of bilateral cricket in Pakistan since Sri Lanka’s landmark 2019 tour. Umpired by Alex Wharf and Asif Yaqoob, with Sharfuddoula Saikat as TV official, it was a contest defined by resilience and redemption. Agha’s Player of the Match award was a fitting tribute to his all-round impact, including a handy lower-order cameo.
Pakistan’s Batting:
Agha’s Heroics Rescue a Shaky StartOpting to bowl first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka’s new-ball pair of Asitha Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera struck early blows, exploiting the new ball’s seam movement under overcast conditions. Openers Saim Ayub (6) and Fakhar Zaman (32) departed within the Powerplay, leaving Pakistan at 68/2. A brief review for Ayub’s LBW off Fernando was struck down initially but upheld on umpire’s call—setting a tense tone.Captain Babar Azam (29) and Mohammad Rizwan (5) couldn’t stem the tide, both falling to Wanindu Hasaranga’s leg-spin wizardry, reducing Pakistan to a precarious 95/4 in the 24th over. Hasaranga’s flighted delivery bamboozled Babar into a stumping, while Rizwan lbw.Enter Salman Agha, the all-rounder whose composure turned the game on its head. Promoting himself to No. 5, Agha rebuilt with a maiden ODI fifty against Sri Lanka, blending watchful defense with calculated aggression. His ninth ODI fifty arrived off 62 balls, but it was the arrival of Hussain Talat that ignited the innings. The all-rounder, playing his first ODI since 2023, smashed a career-best 62 off 63 balls—replete with six boundaries and three sixes—to forge a match-defining 138-run stand for the fifth wicket. Talat’s aggressive strokeplay, including a pulled six off Maheesh Theekshana, injected momentum, while Agha’s elegant cover drives and lofts over mid-on kept the scoreboard ticking.The duo’s partnership, the highest for the fifth wicket in this fixture, propelled Pakistan past 200 by the 40th over. Talat’s dismissal—lbw by Theekshana attempting a scoop—brought the lower order to the crease, but Agha remained unmoved, reaching his second ODI ton off 87 balls (9 fours). Mohammad Nawaz provided the finishing flourish with 36 off 23 balls, including one six and 5 fours, as Pakistan closed at 299/5.
Hasaranga finished with 3/52, his best figures in the series so far, but the damage was limited by Agha’s masterclass. Pakistan Innings Scorecard:
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | lbw b Fernando | 6 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Fakhar Zaman | c Mendis b Hasaranga | 32 | 55 | 2 | 1 |
| Babar Azam (c) | b Hasaranga | 29 | 51 | 3 | 0 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (wk) | LBW Hasaranga | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Salman Agha | not out | 105 | 87 | 9 | 0 |
| Hussain Talat | b Chameera | 62 | 63 | 6 | 1 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | not out | 36 | 23 | 5 | 1 |
| Extras | (lb 9, w 13, b 1) | 24 | – | – | – |
| Total | (5 wkts; 50 ov) | 299/5 | – | – | – |
Fall of Wickets: 1-14 (Ayub, 4.1 ov), 2-68 (Zaman, 17.5 ov), 3-76 (Rizwan, 19.4 ov), 4-95 (Babar, 23.2 ov), 5-233 (Talat, 43.3 ov).
Sri Lanka Bowling:
Hasaranga 10-0-54-3
Fernando 10-0-42-1
Chameera 10-0-63-0
Theekshana 10-0-64-1
Sri Lanka’s Chase:
Sri Lanka Innings Scorecard:
Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c †Rizwan b Rauf | 29 | 39 | 3 | 0 |
| Kusal Mendis (wk) | B Rauf | 0 | 42 | 3 | 0 |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | c Babar b Rauf | 39 | 48 | 6 | 0 |
| Charith Asalanka (c) | C Rizwan b Nawaz | 32 | 49 | 2 | 0 |
| Janith Liyanage | b Naseem | 28 | 24 | 2 | 2 |
| Kamindu Mendis | B Fahim Ashraf | 9 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | c Babur b Naseem Shah | 59 | 52 | 7 | 0 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | Not out | 21 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| Dushmantha Chameera | C &b Fahim Ashraf | 7 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Asitha Fernando | Not out | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Eshan Malinga | not out | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | (lb 3, w 26,b 1,n 1) | 31 | – | – | – |
| Total | (9 wkts; 50 ov) | 293/9 | – | – | – |
.Pakistan Bowling:
Rauf 10-0-61-4
Shaheen 10-0-50-0
Naseem 10-1-55-2
Fahim Ashraf 10-0-49-2
Nawaz 8-0-48-1,
Post-Match Reflections:
A Series Opener Packed with PromiseShaheen Afridi, beaming at the presentation, lauded Agha’s maturity: “Salman’s knock was the difference— he showed why he’s our glue guy.” Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka rued the middle-order wobble: “We were in the chase till the 45th over, but credit to Rauf for that last-over magic. Hasaranga’s fight embodies our spirit.”With the series poised at 1-0, attention turns to the 2nd ODI on November 13 at the same venue. Pakistan will eye a clean sweep, while Sri Lanka, buoyed by Hasaranga’s defiance, will seek swift revenge. For fans, this thriller reaffirms Rawalpindi’s status as a fortress of fortunes.Man of the Match: Salman Agha (Pakistan)
Series So Far: Pakistan 1-0 Sri Lanka
