1
1
1
W
W
0
= 3
Match Details
PAK vs SL, 1st ODI, Tri Series in PAK 2026 summary
SL
268-10(48.1)
Pakistan won by 37 runs 🏆
PAK
(49.5)305-10
+
P'ship : 0(0)
2:02
Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shine as Pakistan Win 1st ODI | Review…
Sri Lanka are bowled out for…
Another one bites the dust.…
10 overs done! Sri Lanka 42/1,…
Pakistan's innings comes to…
Salman Ali Agha brings up a…
Eshan Malinga gets another…
Eshan Malinga strikes twice to…
Pakistan recover from an early…
Madhushanka gets 2 wickets in…
Solid start from Fakhar Zaman!…
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
On this note, I, Manan Mehta would like to take your leave on behalf of my colleagues Ajay Pal Singh, Dev Rajawat, Raju Khariya and Aman. Stay Happy. Stay Healthy. Stay Safe. Adios!!! ✌🏻
We shall be back in a couple of days' time on the 20th of October for match no.2 of this triangular series. It will be Pakistan vs England from the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Live action will begin at 1:30 PM IST (1 PM Local Time). We at CREX will start our coverage at 12:30 PM IST (12 PM Local Time). Do join us without fail.
Another fine exhibition of ODI cricket was on display today. If you make the pitches responsive for both batters and bowlers, well that is what you get in return.
Pakistan will be thrilled to start the tri-series with a win. They were under the pump when Sri Lanka needed 58 off 48 and had Janith Liyanage and Dasun Shanaka out there in the middle. The pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf systematically ran through the lower order and that is a big plus.
Sri Lanka on the other hand would feel that they had their moments in the game, completely earned by them, but they could not make the most of them. Something to work on going forward into the tournament.
Pakistan will be thrilled to start the tri-series with a win. They were under the pump when Sri Lanka needed 58 off 48 and had Janith Liyanage and Dasun Shanaka out there in the middle. The pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf systematically ran through the lower order and that is a big plus.
Sri Lanka on the other hand would feel that they had their moments in the game, completely earned by them, but they could not make the most of them. Something to work on going forward into the tournament.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan Captain): "[300 looked par on this surface?] Yeah, I think we also wanted to bat first if we had won the toss because we have to play again day after tomorrow again. I think we thought about how the first 10 overs will go and then we will go for 300. I think the way Agha batted was good.
[On Hasan Nawaz and Saad Baig] Yeah, really happy with how Saad Baig was playing and then Hasan Nawaz, coming back in the One-Day side after long time. They played with Agha Salman and built good partnerships.
[On the bowling unit] Yeah, we just like to prepare according to the wickets and prepare for this series. Wickets are good for fast bowling, we just like to go with three seamers and in the future might go with four seamers. Depending on how the wicket is, the way our batters are playing is good for us.
[How he kept his cool during Rathnayake and Liyanage's partnership] He was batting well. We just wanted one wicket and trying to bowl a few bouncers but he played well. That was a little bit of funny conversation (within the group)."
[On Hasan Nawaz and Saad Baig] Yeah, really happy with how Saad Baig was playing and then Hasan Nawaz, coming back in the One-Day side after long time. They played with Agha Salman and built good partnerships.
[On the bowling unit] Yeah, we just like to prepare according to the wickets and prepare for this series. Wickets are good for fast bowling, we just like to go with three seamers and in the future might go with four seamers. Depending on how the wicket is, the way our batters are playing is good for us.
[How he kept his cool during Rathnayake and Liyanage's partnership] He was batting well. We just wanted one wicket and trying to bowl a few bouncers but he played well. That was a little bit of funny conversation (within the group)."
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka Captain): "[On Pakistan's total] Ah, I think we have to play, you know, a little bit positive in the powerplay. Their guys battered really well, then I think runs is enough. Our bowlers were bowling really well in last 10 overs. Bowling unit did really well. I think, I took a little bit more balls in the powerplay, dot balls, that's why we are struggling in the powerplay a little bit.
[Was there hope when Janith Liyanage and Pavan Rathnayake were batting?] Yeah, of course. Janith and Pavan Ratnayake battered really well and Kamindu Mendis battered really well in powerplay. Uh, I think only a couple of guys not score runs and we, doing the mistake, you know, small mistake after the 40th over. Uh, but we have to learn a couple of things and, uh, ready for the next match."
[Was there hope when Janith Liyanage and Pavan Rathnayake were batting?] Yeah, of course. Janith and Pavan Ratnayake battered really well and Kamindu Mendis battered really well in powerplay. Uh, I think only a couple of guys not score runs and we, doing the mistake, you know, small mistake after the 40th over. Uh, but we have to learn a couple of things and, uh, ready for the next match."
Salman Ali Agha (Player of the Match): (On returning to form after a difficult period) "I didn't have any other choice, to be honest. I struggled in those series, and I'd struggled before that as well over the last year or so. These kinds of times can come along in a cricketer's career, but the only thing I was thinking was that I'd go back and play domestic cricket and try to get things right. That's what I did, and I think it's paid off.
(On his partnership with Hasan Nawaz) I think the ball was coming really nicely at that time, so I just spoke to Hasan. I said that if we built a partnership and played the way we normally do, we'd put pressure on them and could score 300. We're both aggressive players, and we wanted to play our natural game. That's what we did.
(On running between the wickets and managing his innings) I didn't want to take a risk at that time. I just wanted to keep scoring at around a run-a-ball without taking unnecessary risks. For that, I had to run hard, and I was trying to hit the gaps. The outfield was slow as well, to be honest. Pindi usually has a very good outfield, but today it was a bit slow, so I had to run hard."
(On his partnership with Hasan Nawaz) I think the ball was coming really nicely at that time, so I just spoke to Hasan. I said that if we built a partnership and played the way we normally do, we'd put pressure on them and could score 300. We're both aggressive players, and we wanted to play our natural game. That's what we did.
(On running between the wickets and managing his innings) I didn't want to take a risk at that time. I just wanted to keep scoring at around a run-a-ball without taking unnecessary risks. For that, I had to run hard, and I was trying to hit the gaps. The outfield was slow as well, to be honest. Pindi usually has a very good outfield, but today it was a bit slow, so I had to run hard."
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: SALMAN ALI AGHA
Electrifying Batter of the Match: Salman Ali Agha
Commentary