Fakhar Zaman injury concerns did not stop the opener from scoring 127 as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the one-day international tri-series final in Lahore on Saturday.
Pakistan finished on 331-7 in 48.3 overs, chasing Sri Lanka's 325-8. Zaman's 99-ball hundred and Arafat Minhas' 61 off 31 balls carried the hosts home after the top order stumbled early.
Fakhar Zaman injury and a lean run before the final
Zaman came into the final with only 31 runs in his previous four innings. He injured his right knee while fielding and spent most of the match in the dressing room before he batted.
Pakistan lost Maaz Sadaqat for five and Babar Azam for a five-ball duck in front of 31,265 home fans at Gaddafi Stadium. Zaman then rebuilt the chase alongside 19-year-old Saad Baig, who made 74 off 75 balls in a 149-run stand.
Dropped catches and dew in Lahore
Maheesh Theekshana, playing his first match of the tri-series, could not hold a return catch when Zaman was on 69, and missed him again on 106. He also dropped a catch on the boundary after Zaman had reached his century off 84 balls.
Dilshan Madushanka bowled Zaman in the 34th over with Pakistan still 106 runs from victory, and finished with 3-63. Dew made the ball wet, and Sri Lanka's bowlers found it hard to control.
Minhas and Hasan Nawaz, 37 not out, kept their nerve late. Asitha Fernando, who took 2-72, removed Minhas and Faheem Ashraf off successive balls, but Pakistan got over the line.
Kamindu Mendis century sets Sri Lanka's total
Kamindu Mendis made 131, his maiden ODI century, as Sri Lanka batted first for the first time in the tournament. His innings underpinned a total of 325-8 that Pakistan chased down with nine balls to spare.
What the result means
England were knocked out of the tri-series after losing three of their four games, leaving Pakistan and Sri Lanka to contest Saturday's final. Pakistan's win came in the tournament's deciding match in Lahore.
The original report is from skysports.com.
