Babar Azam's century drought comes to an end; Pakistan beat Sri Lanka to win ODI series

Babar Azam's century drought comes to an end (AP Photo)

Babar Azam's first international century in more than two years anchored Pakistan's comfortable chase of 289 against scratchy Sri Lanka in their series-clinching ODI on Friday. Pakistan won by eight wickets, cruising to 289-2 in 48.2 overs on Babar's fluent unbeaten 102 off 119 balls. They have an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, which ends on Sunday.

Sri Lanka were restricted to 288-8 on a perfect batting pitch after six of the top seven batters couldn’t convert good starts.

The series was in doubt after Sri Lanka players wanted to leave the country when a suicide bomber killed 12 people outside a court in Islamabad on Tuesday, hours before the first ODI in nearby Rawalpindi. However, Sri Lanka Cricket directed the team to finish the series after it was reassured about security by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Babar came into Friday’s game without an international century in 83 innings across the formats, more than 800 days since a hundred against Nepal in the Asia Cup at Multan in August 2023.

“I had been waiting for this (century) like the fans,” Babar said. “I kept the belief up. I got starts in a few games against South Africa too (in the last ODI series) but you only get what you wished when God wants you to. I was trying to spend as much time at the crease.”

He dug in well against the spin threat of Wanindu Hasaranga, who finished wicketless with 0-35, but the Sri Lanka seamers couldn’t control the wet ball because of dew and consistently missed their lengths.

Babar raised his half-century off 68 balls with only three fours and grew in confidence. He pulled Pramod Madushan to midwicket for a single to complete his much-awaited century off 115 balls with eight fours.

The crowd erupted and chanted “Babar, Babar” to celebrate the end of the drought by Pakistan's premier batter. His 20th ODI century equaled Saeed Anwar’s Pakistan ODI record.

The opening pair of Fakhar Zaman (78) and Saim Ayub (33) provided a rollicking start of 77 off 58 balls. Zaman was dropped twice in the 20s and a third time at fine leg just before his dismissal, a brilliant catch by Janith Liyanage at short midwicket. But by then he'd put on 100 runs with Babar to take the game away from Sri Lanka. Mohammad Rizwan, unbeaten on 51 off 54 balls, and Babar shared a 112-run stand to the win.

“It’s a complete batting performance from us,” stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha said. “We had three very good partnerships. It was a 320-330 wicket for us so I was very happy to keep them to 290.”

Kamil Mishara (27) in his second ODI and Pathum Nissanka (24) made a decent start of 51 runs for Sri Lanka inside the batting powerplay before Nissanka was run out against the run of play when he tried to go for a third run.

Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who recovered from illness, pegged back the visitors with three wickets. He dismissed Mishara, Kusal Mendis and captain Charith Asalanka and dropped the visitors to 98-4 in the 22nd over.

Sadeera Samarawickrama (42) and Liyanage (54) revived the innings with a 61-run stand until Haris Rauf knocked back the off stump of Samarawickrama in his return spell.

Rauf followed his four-wicket haul in the first ODI with 3-66 including the vital wicket of Kamindu Mendis (44) in the death overs.

Hasaranga's late flurry of 37 off 26 balls helped to set a total that was thought to be about 30-40 runs short of par.

Asalanka rued a ton of missed opportunities, including good starts by batters and dropped catches in the field.

“A lot of wides and extras in the first two overs,” he said. “It’s really hard to come back on these wickets. After 10-15 overs dew came and things got harder.”