Cricket-Zaman hundred powers Pakistan to tri-series title over Sri Lanka

Cricket - Seventh One Day International - Final - Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan - October 31, 2026 Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman celebrates after reaching his century REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

Oct 31 (Reuters) - Fakhar Zaman's superb century powered ⁠Pakistan to a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the One-Day International tri-series final in Lahore ⁠on Saturday, ending the hosts' long wait for the title.

Zaman's 127 off 99 balls anchored the ‌chase after an early wobble, while Salman Agha provided crucial support before Arafat Minhas' half-century paved the way for victory.

Pakistan chasing down a target of 326, finished on 331 with nine balls to spare to complete the joint-highest successful chase in an ODI final.

Earlier, Sri Lanka ​posted a formidable 325 for eight wickets, built around Kamindu Mendis' ⁠outstanding 131 off 128 balls and a ⁠fluent 77 from Pavan Rathnayake. The pair shared a crucial 146-run partnership before Pakistan struck late to curb any ⁠hopes ‌of a 340-plus surge, with Shaheen Shah Afridi taking two wickets for 50 runs.

The victory secured Pakistan's first ODI tri-series title since 2008, when they beat India in the Kitply Cup final in Bangladesh, ⁠and made amends for their defeat to New Zealand in the final ​of a home tri-series in 2025.

Pakistan ‌suffered early setbacks as Dilshan Madushanka struck twice in the powerplay, including the prized wicket of ⁠Babar Azam for a ​five-ball duck. Zaman and Saad Baig rebuilt the innings with an impressive 149-run partnership and Baig brought up his maiden ODI fifty before Maheesh Theekshana ended his knock for 74 off 75 balls.

Zaman accelerated after reaching his half-century and went on ⁠to register his 12th ODI century, partnering with Agha in a ​brisk 57-run stand that kept Pakistan firmly on course in the chase. The left-hander eventually fell toMadushanka, followed soon by Agha for 17, leaving Pakistan at 230-5. However, Minhas' and Hasan Nawaz's 94-run partnership ultimately carried the hosts to ⁠the target.

Sri Lanka made a strong start after being put in to bat, with opener Avishka Fernando and Kamindu Mendis adding 51 runs in the powerplay. Fernando's dismissal in the 18th over ended the opening stand, and Pakistan struck again soon after when captain Kusal Mendis fell to Agha, leaving the visitors at 109-2.

Kamindu and Rathnayake steadied ​the innings with a fluent 146-run partnership off 119 deliveries. The stand kept ⁠Sri Lanka firmly in control until Kamindu, who brought up his maiden ODI century, fell after hitting 12 fours and ​two sixes.

Pakistan fought back in the death overs, triggering a collapse ‌as Afridi and Haris Rauf removed Dasun Shanaka and Rathnayakewithin ​the space of two overs. Sahan Arachchige provided a late cameo with a brisk 15 off 12 deliveries before falling to Naseem Shah.

(Reporting by Paras J. Haji in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)

Thank you for your report!

板球——第七届一日国际赛——决赛——巴基斯坦对阵斯里兰卡——巴基斯坦拉合尔卡扎菲体育场——2026年10月31日 巴基斯坦球员法卡尔·扎曼在达到百球后庆祝 路透社/阿赫塔尔·索姆罗

10 月 31 日（路透社）——法卡尔·扎曼的精彩百球帮助巴基斯坦在周六于拉合尔举行的单日国际三方系列赛决赛中以三球优势战胜斯里兰卡，结束了东道主对冠军的长期等待。

扎曼在99球中拿下127分，稳住了追分局面，此前球队一度陷入困境；萨尔曼·阿加提供了关键支持；阿拉法特·明哈斯的半百得分为胜利铺平了道路。

巴基斯坦队在追逐 326 分的目标时，最终以 331 分结束比赛，还剩 9 个球，完成了 ODI 决赛中并列最高的成功追分纪录。

此前，斯里兰卡凭借卡明杜·门迪斯（Kamindu Mendis）128球131分的出色表现以及帕万·拉特纳亚克（Pavan Rathnayake）流畅的77分，取得了325分8个出局的佳绩。两人联手贡献了关键的146分，但巴基斯坦在比赛后期发力，遏制了斯里兰卡冲击340分以上的希望。沙欣·沙阿·阿弗里迪（Shaheen Shah Afridi）以50分拿下两记出局。

这场胜利确保了巴基斯坦自 2008 年以来首次获得 ODI 三方系列赛冠军，当时他们在孟加拉国举行的 Kitply 杯决赛中击败了印度，并弥补了他们在 2025 年主场三方系列赛决赛中输给新西兰的遗憾。

巴基斯坦开局不利，迪尔沙恩·马杜尚卡在强力击球阶段两次建功，其中包括巴伯·阿扎姆五球未得分的宝贵出局。扎曼和萨阿德·贝格随后凭借令人印象深刻的149分搭档重振旗鼓，贝格也取得了个人首个ODI半百，但随后马希什·蒂克沙纳以75球74分结束了他的击球。

扎曼在达到半个世纪后加速进攻，最终斩获个人第12个ODI世纪，并与阿加联手贡献了57分的快速得分，使巴基斯坦在追分过程中保持了稳定的势头。这位左撇子最终被马杜尚卡淘汰出局，随后阿加也以17分出局，巴基斯坦的比分变为230-5。然而，米纳斯和哈桑·纳瓦兹的94分合作最终帮助东道主巴基斯坦达到了目标分数。

斯里兰卡被安排先攻，开局强势，开局球员阿维什卡·费尔南多和卡明杜·门迪斯在强力击球阶段就贡献了51分。费尔南多在第18局被淘汰，结束了这对开局组合。巴基斯坦很快再次发力，队长库萨尔·门迪斯被阿加淘汰，客队斯里兰卡以109比2落后。

卡明杜和拉特纳亚克凭借流畅的146分（119球）搭档，稳住了局面。他们的合作让斯里兰卡牢牢掌控着比赛，直到卡明杜在击出12个四分球和2个六分球后出局，而他本人也取得了职业生涯首个ODI百球。

巴基斯坦在比赛末段奋起反击，阿弗里迪和哈里斯·拉乌夫在两局之内先后拿下达苏恩·沙纳卡和拉特纳亚克，引发巴基斯坦崩盘。萨汉·阿拉奇奇在比赛末段短暂亮相，12球拿下15分，但随后被纳西姆·沙阿淘汰出局。

（Paras J. Haji在班加罗尔报道；Clare Fallon编辑）

感谢您的报告！