“Babar Azam reminded everyone of his class, guiding Pakistan with a calm and commanding century.”
Pakistan took a 2–0 lead in the three-match ODI series after beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Rawalpindi. The victory highlighted Pakistan’s strong batting and disciplined bowling.
Sri Lanka batted first and reached 288/8. Janith Liyanage scored 54, Kamindu Mendis made 44, and Sadeera Samarawickrama added 42. Pakistan’s bowlers controlled the innings well. Abrar Ahmed and Haris Rauf took three wickets each, preventing Sri Lanka from posting a bigger total.
Pakistan chased the target of 289 confidently. Captain Babar Azam guided the innings with a superb 102 not out, ending his long wait for an ODI century. Fakhar Zaman contributed 78 runs, and Mohammad Rizwan stayed unbeaten on 51. They completed the chase in 48.2 overs, showing composure and teamwork.
The win gave Pakistan the series with one match remaining. It boosted their confidence after a challenging period and showed their dominance at home. Sri Lanka now faces the task of improving their bowling and fielding ahead of the final match.