Second ODI: Azam, Shadab lift Pakistan to 32-run victory

Published October 16, 2017
Sri Lanka's bowler Lahiru Gamage and his teammates celebrate the dismissal of Fakhar Zaman during their second ODI cricket match. —AP
Sri Lanka's bowler Lahiru Gamage and his teammates celebrate the dismissal of Fakhar Zaman during their second ODI cricket match. —AP

Babar Azam hit a second successive century and Shadab Khan put up a strong all-round performance in Pakistan's 32-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international on Monday.

Azam scored 101 off 133 balls a day after celebrating his 23rd birthday while Shadab dug in to score 52 not out to lift Pakistan's total to 219-9.

Captain Upul Tharanga scored an unbeaten 112 and became the first Sri Lanka batsman to carry his bat in an ODI, before his team was bowled out for 187 in 48 overs.

Shadab outfoxed batsmen with his leg-spin to finish with 3-47 in yet another Sri Lanka top-order batting collapse.

Azam and Shadab featured in a century stand after Pakistan slipped to 101-6 against seamers Lahiru Gamage (4-57) and Thisara Perera (2-34).

Babar Azam celebrates after scoring century.—AP
Babar Azam celebrates after scoring century.—AP

Earlier, Imad Wasim followed Shoaib Malik and skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed to the pavilion after being judged lbw on Jeffrey Vandersay's ball. He scored 10 runs.

Mohammad Hafeez was caught behind on the last ball of the first power play for eight, right after he hit Gamage for a straight six.

Shadab Khan and Babar Azam run between the wicket. —AFP
Shadab Khan and Babar Azam run between the wicket. —AFP

Zaman was out for 11, caught in the slips facing Lahiru Gamage, bringing in the in-form Babar Azam. Ahmed Shehzad was able to make only eight runs before being caught trying to hit Suranga Lakmal for a four.

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