Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI 2026: Salman Agha Century Powers Pakistan to 37 Run Win

Pakistan have made a winning start at home. In the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI of the 2026 tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, 18 October, the Green Shirts beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs. Salman Agha’s brilliant century set up a total of 305, and then Shaheen Shah Afridi led a fired up bowling attack to bowl the visitors out for 268.

In this match report, we break down everything from the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI: the full scorecard highlights, the turning points, the standout performers, what it means for the tri-series and what comes next for Pakistan against England.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI: Match Summary

Salman Agha’s Century Sets the Tone

First, after Sri Lanka chose to bowl first, Pakistan lost Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman early to left arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka. Fakhar made a quick 16 off 19 balls. Still, the hosts needed someone to take charge in the middle overs.

In the end, that man was Salman Agha. The all rounder played a mature, attacking innings of 107 off just 90 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. He rotated the strike well, punished the loose balls and, above all, kept the scoreboard moving while wickets fell around him. His century was the backbone of the Pakistan innings and the main reason the hosts crossed 300.

Babar Azam Reaches 16,000 International Runs

Meanwhile, Babar Azam added a classy 45 off 57 balls with six boundaries, and along the way he reached a big personal milestone: 16,000 international runs. He shared a 50 run stand with debutant Saad Baig before Eshan Malinga removed him in the 20th over.

Saad Baig Impresses on Debut

Next, young wicketkeeper batter Saad Baig made a confident start to his international career. He opened his account with back to back boundaries off Madushanka and went on to score 39 off 40 balls, including three fours and two sixes. Indeed, for a first outing, it was a promising sign for Pakistan’s future.

Hasan Nawaz and the Lower Order Push

Similarly, Hasan Nawaz chipped in with a useful 37 off 49 balls, adding a 50 run partnership with Salman Agha. Later, Arafat Minhas (18 off 15) and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (13 not out) helped Pakistan push the total past 300, finishing on 305 all out in 49.5 overs.

Sri Lanka Bowling vs Pakistan: Malinga Stars in a Losing Cause

In reply, Sri Lanka’s young quick Eshan Malinga was the pick of their bowlers with 4/46 in 9.5 overs, including the key wickets of Babar Azam, Saad Baig and Hasan Nawaz. In addition, Asitha Fernando bowled well for 3/59, removing Salman Agha, while Dilshan Madushanka finished with 2/67.

Sri Lanka’s Chase: Rathnayake and Liyanage Fight Back

Chasing 306, however, Sri Lanka soon slipped to 91/4 as Pakistan’s pace attack struck at regular intervals. For instance, captain Kusal Mendis fell for 18, caught by Saim Ayub off Faheem Ashraf, and the visitors looked in deep trouble.

However, Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage refused to give up. The pair put on a superb 119 run stand for the fifth wicket off just 107 balls. Rathnayake struck a fluent 79 off 74 balls, while Liyanage made 60 off 74. Suddenly, Sri Lanka were right back in the contest.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Turning Point: Pakistan Quicks Seal the Win

Then the game turned when Pakistan broke that partnership. Faheem Ashraf removed Rathnayake, and then Haris Rauf had Liyanage caught by Babar Azam. After that, the Sri Lankan lower order could not keep up with the rising run rate.

Kamindu Mendis (44 off 50) and Dasun Shanaka (28 off 18) tried to keep the chase alive, but Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to remove both. As a result, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 268 in 48.1 overs, and Pakistan sealed a 37 run win.

Pakistan Bowling Figures

Notably, Naseem Shah was the most economical, conceding just 43 runs in his 10 overs, while Shaheen’s three wickets came at crucial moments.

Key Takeaways From Pakistan vs Sri Lanka

• Middle order depth: Even after early wickets, Salman Agha, Babar Azam and Hasan Nawaz rebuilt the innings.
• New talent: Saad Baig’s debut shows Pakistan are building for the future behind the stumps.
• A complete pace attack: Shaheen, Naseem, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf all took wickets, so the pressure never let up.
• Room to improve: On the other hand, letting Sri Lanka recover from 91/4 to a 119 run stand is something the team will want to fix against England.

Pakistan Tri-Series 2026: What Comes Next

To recap, the tri-series features Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka. Each team plays the other two twice, and the top two sides meet in the final at Lahore on 31 October. Thanks to this win, Pakistan are off to the perfect start.

All matches start at 1:30 PM Pakistan time. For the full squads and venue details, read our complete guide to the Pakistan ODI tri-series 2026 schedule and fixtures.

Next Up: Pakistan vs England, 20 October

Next, Pakistan face England in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, 20 October. England arrive under Harry Brook without Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell, who are out injured, but they still have Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid. Meanwhile, Pakistan will look to build on their opening win and take a big step towards the final.

Pakistan Squad for the Tri-Series

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Moqim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Word

A century from Salman Agha, a milestone for Babar Azam, a bright debut from Saad Baig and a fiery finish from the fast bowlers. Overall, the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI gave home fans plenty to cheer about. Now the real test begins against England, and all eyes will be on Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

For the full scorecard, visit the ESPNcricinfo match report or the official PCB scorecard.

For more cricket updates, match previews and sports news from Pakistan, keep visiting HelloSalam.pk.