Imam's hundred on debut guides Pakistan to series win

ABU DHABI: A brilliant hundred on debut by young Imam-ul-Haq guided Pakistan to win the third One-day International and also the series here at the Sheikh Zayad Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing 209, Pakistan easily completed their third consecutive victory with 45 balls remaining.

Imam made exact 100 off 125 balls with five fours and two sixes to become the second Pakistani and the 13th overall to score a hundred on ODI debut.

The first Pakistani to achieve such feat was Saleem Elahi who made 102 not out, also against Sri Lanka at Gujranwala in 1995.  

Imam was involved in three successive good partnerships - 78 with Fakhar Zaman (29) for the first wicket, 66 with Babar Azam (30) for the second and 65 with Mohammad Hafeez (34 not out) for the third wicket.

Earlier, energetic seamer Hasan Ali became the quickest bowler to reach 50 one-day international wickets for Pakistan as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 208.

The 23-year-old took a career best 5-34 and was ably assisted by leg-spinner Shadab Khan (2-37) as Sri Lanka, who won the toss and batted, lost their last nine wickets for only 106 runs.

Sri Lanka skipper Upul Tharanga (61) and Niroshan Dickwella (18) put on 59 for the first wicket, but from 102-1 in the 26th over their innings was derailed by Pakistan´s bowlers.

Shadab, man-of-the-match for his 52 not out and 3-47 in the second game on Monday, had Dinesh Chandimal (19) leg-before and Tharanga caught in the deep.

Tharanga, who hit a brilliant 112 not out in the previous match, hit five boundaries during his 80-ball knock.