Ul-Haq smashes debut ton in Pakistan win

The nephew of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imam has scored a century on his ODI debut to lead Pakistan to victory over Sri Lanka, and a series win.

Imam-ul-Haq became the third youngest player to score a century on his one-day international debut and Hasan Ali grabbed 5-34 as Pakistan hammered Sri Lanka by seven wickets to secure a series victory.

Pakistan took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, with Sri Lanka's losing streak in ODIs now stretching to 10 matches.

The 21-year-old Imam is the nephew of Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former captain and Pakistan's current chief selector. He hit 100 off 125 balls with two sixes and five fours to help Pakistan cruise to 3-209 in 42.3 overs.

Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga top-scored with 61 after winning the toss and opting to bat, but his team's batting woes in the series continued before they were finally dismissed for 208 in 48.2 overs.

Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella (18) had provided a solid opening stand of 59 off 65 balls before Hasan clean bowled Dickwella.

Dinesh Chandimal struggled for 49 balls to score 19 before Sri Lanka collapsed midway through its innings as Pakistan's spinners, Shadab Khan (2-37) and Mohammad Hafeez, tied the batsmen down.

Shadab struck in successive overs by having Chandimal trapped lbw and then Tharanga holed out at deep mid-wicket off a short delivery as Sri Lanka slipped to 3-112.

Ali hastened the collapse when Chamara Kapugedera - one of two changes Sri Lanka made after losing the first two matches - chipped an easy return catch.

Ali then combined with captain and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed to get Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya and Dushmantha Chameera all caught behind as Sri Lanka struggled after losing Tharanga in the 28th over.

Ali became the quickest Pakistani bowler to complete 50 wickets in ODIs, claiming the feat in 24 matches, three fewer than the previous record set by Waqar Younis.

Imam, replacing out-of-form Ahmed Shehzad at the top order, dominated two productive stands - adding 78 runs with Fakhar Zaman (29) and further 66 with Babar Azam (30).

Wicketkeeper Dickwella twice dropped Imam, on 29 and 89, before finally catching him down the leg side.


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Source: AAP


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