Babar Azam, centre, stole the show for Pakistan in their ODI win over Sri Lanka on Monday. AFP
Babar Azam, centre, stole the show for Pakistan in their ODI win over Sri Lanka on Monday. AFP
Babar Azam, centre, stole the show for Pakistan in their ODI win over Sri Lanka on Monday. AFP
Babar Azam, centre, stole the show for Pakistan in their ODI win over Sri Lanka on Monday. AFP

Babar Azam stars for Pakistan against Sri Lanka as ODI cricket returns to Karachi


  • English
  • Arabic

Pakistan rode on a brilliant century from Babar Azam and fast bowler Usman Shinwari's five wickets to beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the second day-night international on Monday as Karachi staged its first ODI in a decade.

Azam smashed a solid 105-ball 115 to lift Pakistan to 305-7 after the home team won the toss and batted.

Shinwari then knocked off the top-order in figures of 5-51 as the visitors - depleted by the withdrawal of 10 players who refused to tour over security fears - were bowled out for 238 in 46.5 overs.

The win gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the first ODI rained off in Karachi on Friday. The third and final match is also set for the same venue on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka were down and out at 28-5 before youngsters Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka staged a fightback during their record 177-run stand - an ODI record for this wicket for Sri Lanka.

Jayasuriya missed his maiden hundred by four runs while Shanaka notched his highest ODI score of 68, but both fell in the space of three balls to surrender the fight.

Jayasuriya hit seven boundaries and a six in his 107-ball knock while Shanaka had six fours and two sixes in his 80 balls.

Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed praised Sri Lanka's fightback.

"Sri Lanka fought back hard and we did not get wickets through our spinners in the middle overs," said Sarfaraz. "We batted well with Babar and Fakhar doing well."

Sri Lankan skipper Lahiru Thirimanne praised Jayasuriya and Shanaka.

"It was a great effort by Shehan and Shanaka," said Thirimanne. "Disappointing the way we batted in the first 10 overs but the two youngsters showed us how to bat and led our fight."

The match marked the first ODI cricket to be played in Karachi since the same two teams played there in January 2009, on the tour when the visitors' bus was attacked by terrorists in Lahore.

International cricket remained suspended in Pakistan for six years before Zimbabwe became the first team to play there in 2015, with Pakistan using the UAE as their adopted home.

Pakistan also hosted a World XI (three Twenty20s), Sri Lanka (one T20 international) and the West Indies (three T20) in the last three years.

Like in the recent series, Pakistan have put in place stringent security arrangements for the Sri Lankan team, with 2,000 security personnel in and around teams' hotels and stadium.

A crowd of 12,000 came to watch the return of ODI cricket to their city, weathering heat and various security check-posts, using special shuttles to reach the National stadium.

Shinwari dismissed Sadeera Samarawickrama (six), Avishka Fernando (nought) and skipper (Lahiru Thirimanne (nought) to rattle Sri Lanka to 22-4 by the eighth over.

Jayasuriya and Shanaka bettered the previous best sixth wicket stand of 159 between Chamara Kapugedera and Chamara Silva against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 2008.

It was Azam who treated the fans in the afternoon.

Azam, when on 54, became the fifth batsman to complete 1,000 ODI runs in 2019 - behind India's duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and Australian couple Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja.

He added an innings-building 111 for the third wicket with Haris Sohail (40), as Sri Lankan bowlers toiled to break the stand.

It was only through an unfortunate run out that Sohail fell, leaving Azam to anchor the innings. He square cut pacer Lahiru Kumara for a boundary to complete his 11th ODI hundred off 97 balls.

Azam was finally out at deep mid-on off Kumara, cracking eight boundaries and four sixes.

Iftikhar Ahmed batted aggressively for his 20-ball 32 not out - two sixes and as many boundaries - as Pakistan made 89 in the last 10 overs.

Openers Fakhar Zaman (54) and Imam-ul-Haq gave Pakistan a solid start of 73 before Sri Lanka's best bowler, leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, trapped Imam for 31.

Hasaranga also had Fakhar for a 65-ball 54 that was studded with six boundaries and a six. Hasaranga finished with 2-63.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Looming%20global%20slowdown%20and%20recession%20in%20key%20economies%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Russia-Ukraine%20war%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Interest%20rate%20hikes%20and%20the%20rising%20cost%20of%20debt%20servicing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Oil%20price%20volatility%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Persisting%20inflationary%20pressures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Exchange%20rate%20fluctuations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shortage%20of%20labour%2Fskills%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20A%20resurgence%20of%20Covid%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Schedule:

Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore

The%20Woman%20King%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gina%20Prince-Bythewood%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Thuso%20Mbedu%2C%20Sheila%20Atim%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20John%20Boyega%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

The language of diplomacy in 1853

Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)


We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.

Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
While you're here
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young