Pakistan thrashed Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the second ODI at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing a decent 289-run for victory, Pakistan crossed the finish line with eight wickets in hand and 10 balls remaining.
Star batter Babar Azam finally broke his century drought with a match-winning knock of 102 off 119 balls, hitting eight boundaries. Fakhar Zaman contributed a valuable 78 off 93 balls, laced with eight fours and one maximum.
Mohammad Rizwan made 51 off 54 balls with the help of five fours and one huge six. Saim Ayub provided a solid start to Pakistan with a rapid 33 runs of just 25 balls, hitting five fours and one maximum. Dushmantha Chameera took both the wickets that fell in the innings. Babar Azam was named Player of the Match for his match-winning century.
After being asked to bat by Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, Sri Lanka reached 288/8 in the allocated 50 overs.
Janith Liyanage was the top scorer for the visitors with 54 off 63 balls, followed by Kamindu Mendis, who made 44 off 38 balls with the help of four fours and two sixes. Sadeera Samarawickrama contributed 42 off 52 balls, Wanindu Hasaranga an unbeaten 37 off 26 balls, Kamil Mishra 27 off 39 balls, Pathum Nissanka 24 off 31 balls, Kusal Mendis 20 off 28 balls, and Pramod Madushan an unbeaten 11 off 15 balls.
Abrar Ahmed and Haris Rauf bagged three wickets each and Mohammad Wasim one, while Pathum Nissanka was run out.
Pakistan won the ODI series opener by six runs. Mohammad Wasim has joined the playing XI, as Shaheen Shah Afridi is not playing due to illness. Abrar Ahmed has replaced Faheem Ashraf in the Playing XI.
Sri Lanka also made one change, bringing in Pramod Madushan in place of spinner Maheesh Theekshana.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kamil Mishara, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Kamindu Mendis, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Pramod Madushan, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Asitha Fernando
Pakistan Playing XI: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Hussain Talat, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Mohammad Wasim Jr., 9 Haris Rauf, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Abrar Ahmed
