Pakistan eye series triumph after thrilling opener

RAWALPINDI: Riding high on the momentum of their thrilling six-run win in the series opener, Pakistan will look to seal back-to-back ODI series victories when they face Sri Lanka in the second one-dayer at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday (today).

The opening ODI on Tuesday was a gripping contest that went right down to the wire, with Pakistan managing to hold their nerve thanks to Haris Rauf’s fiery spell (4-61) and Salman Ali Agha’s career-best unbeaten century. The home side, despite early stumbles with the bat, managed to put up a commanding total of 299, a score that eventually proved just enough on a dew-laden evening where gripping the ball became a nightmare for bowlers.

“The dew factor makes a huge difference under lights,” Pakistan skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi said after the match. “We were targeting around 270 after being sent in to bat, but Salman and Hussain Talat’s partnership gave us a fighting total. Even though the conditions got tougher for bowlers later, Haris bowled with heart and Babar’s stunning one-handed catch turned the tide in our favour.”

That moment, Babar Azam’s breathtaking dive to remove Sadeera Samarawickrama was arguably the turning point of the game, drawing loud cheers from a packed Rawalpindi crowd. “It was a superman effort,” Afridi said with a smile. “Such moments lift the entire team.”

Pakistan’s batting, however, still left much to be desired. The top-order once again faltered, slumping to 95 for 4 when Babar departed in the 24th over. It was then that Salman and Hussain stitched a rescue act worth 150 runs, stabilizing the innings and ensuring Pakistan managed 299. “We need a stronger start,” Afridi said. “The middle-order did brilliantly, but we can’t afford early collapses in modern-day cricket.”

For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga was the standout performer, bagging three wickets and later threatening Pakistan with a blistering cameo that nearly took the game away. “We had things under control early on,” Hasaranga said. “But Salman and Hussain played exceptional cricket to swing the momentum. We also made a few mistakes in the field which cost us dearly.”

Having learned from those errors, the Sri Lankan camp is confident of a strong comeback in the second ODI. “We’re still very much in the series,” Hasaranga added. “The goal is simple, win on Thursday and take it to the decider.”

Both teams took a well-deserved rest on Wednesday to recover under the crisp Rawalpindi chill. Pakistan are contemplating one change, with leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed likely to return to the playing XI if he passes the fitness test, potentially replacing Faheem Ashraf.