Pakistan have beaten Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the 1st ODI of the Pakistan Tri-Series 2026 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, making a winning start to the three-nation tournament.
Result Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka in 1st ODI: Tri-Series 2026 Winning Start
- Result: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs
- Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
- Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Toss: Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first
- Star performer: Salman Ali Agha — 107 off 90 balls
Scorecard
Pakistan: 305/10 (49.5 overs)
Sri Lanka: 268/10 (48 overs)
Top Performers
Batting:
- Salman Ali Agha – 107 runs (90 balls, 10 fours, 1 six)
- Babar Azam – 45 runs
- Saad Baig (wk) – 39 runs
- Hasan Nawaz – 37 runs (49 balls, 2 sixes, 2 fours)
- Fakhar Zaman – 16; Saim Ayub – 7
Bowling:
- Eshan Malinga (SL) – 4 wickets
- Asitha Fernando (SL) – 3 wickets
- Shaheen Afridi (PAK, c) – 3 wickets
Match Highlights
- Sri Lanka won the toss and put Pakistan in to bat at Rawalpindi — and struck early, removing both openers Saim Ayub (7) and Fakhar Zaman (16) inside the first five overs
- Babar Azam and Saad Baig launched the recovery with a 74-run third-wicket partnership
- Eshan Malinga hit back with two quick wickets — Babar and Baig both gone, Pakistan 118-4 in 22 overs
- The game turned on a 97-run partnership between Salman Ali Agha and Hasan Nawaz; Agha batted till the 46th over to carry Pakistan past 300
- Chasing 306, Sri Lanka’s openers added 30 in five overs before Naseem Shah removed Avishka Fernando; Faheem Ashraf dismissed captain Kusal Mendis (18) and Pakistan kept chipping away through the middle overs
- Shaheen Afridi’s three-wicket haul sealed the 37-run win
What This Win Means
- Pakistan go top of the Tri-Series 2026 points table
- A winning start ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 preparations
- Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi begins his ODI captaincy campaign with a victory
What’s Next
- Next match: Pakistan vs England, October 20, Rawalpindi
- Format: 7 matches, double round-robin; top two reach the final
- Final: October 31, 2026, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- The PCB has announced the October 25 Pakistan vs England ODI will be dedicated to breast cancer awareness
FAQs
Q: Who won Pak vs SL 1st ODI 2026?
A: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs at Rawalpindi.
Q: Who scored the century for Pakistan?
A: Salman Ali Agha — 107 off 90 balls.
Q: What is the next match in the tri-series?
A: Pakistan vs England on October 20 in Rawalpindi.