Azam, Shadab steer Pak to win
Babar Azam scored a successive hundred while Shadab Khan gave his career best bowling and batting performance to help Pakistan thump Sri Lanka by 32 runs in the second day-night international at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Azam knocked a fighting 133-ball 103 while Shadab scored a career best 52 not out to lift Pakistan from 79-5 before Shadab the returned with his best figures of 3-47 to dismiss Sri Lanka for 187 all out in 48 overs.
Azam and Shadab were engaged in a match-turning 109-run seventh wicket stand.
The victory gives Pakistan a 2-0 lead in the five-match series while this is Sri Lanka's ninth defeat in a row.
Skipper Upul Tharanga became the first Sri Lankan and 11th batsmen in the one-day history to carry his bat through a complete innings with a fighting 144-ball 112 not out -- his 15th ODI century.
It was the bowlers who helped Pakistan defend a low total. Once paceman Junaid Khan removed Niroshan Dickwella for three in the third over, spinners Shadab, Shoaib Malik (1-17) and Mohammad Hafeez (1-24) rocked Sri Lanka's batting with regular wickets.
Earlier, Azam followed up his 103 in the first game, to anchor the innings.
Sri Lanka's medium pacer Thisara Perera (2-34) then struck twice, removing Shoaib Malik (11) and Sarfraz Ahmed (five) to leave Pakistan in a spot of bother.
Azam added 22 for the sixth wicket with Imad Wasim (ten) before his stand with Shadab gave Pakistan's total some respectability.
The remaining matches will be played in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The two teams will also play three Twenty20 internationals, the first two in Abu Dhabi and the last in Lahore.
SCORES IN BRIEF
PAKISTAN: 219 for 9 in 50 overs (Babar 101, Shadab 52 not out; Gamage 4-57, Perera 2-34)
SRI LANKA: 187 all out in 48 overs (Tharanga 112 not out, Vandersay 22; Shadab 3-47, Malik 1-17)
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