Sri Lankan Bowlers Dominate as Pakistan’s Top Order Crumbles in First ODI Clash

Sri Lankan bowlers delivered a powerful performance in the first One Day International (ODI) against Pakistan, which took place on November 11, 2025, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Winning the toss, Sri Lanka chose to bowl first, effectively restricting Pakistan’s top order and limiting them to 119 runs for 4 wickets after 30 overs.

Sri Lanka’s Bowling Prowess

From the start, Sri Lankan bowlers imposed consistent pressure on the Pakistani batsmen. They kept the scoring rate low, preventing any significant partnerships from forming.

• Saim Ayub opened the innings but managed only 6 runs off 14 balls before being caught by Asitha Fernando, leaving the score at 14-1.
• Captain Babar Azam collaborated with Fakhar Zaman to attempt a recovery. However, they scored just 28 runs during the first powerplay, indicating the difficulty of the batting conditions.
• The pair advanced the total to 68 before Wanindu Hasaranga struck, dismissing Fakhar for 32 runs.
• Hasaranga continued his impressive form, quickly claiming the wickets of Babar (29 runs) and Mohammad Rizwan (5 runs), reducing Pakistan to 4 down for under 100 runs.

Pakistan’s Inning Summary

At the conclusion of the first innings, Pakistan found themselves at 119-4, with Salman Ali Agha scoring 29 and Hussain Talat contributing 11 runs before the end of the 30 overs.

Future Fixtures and Historical Context

Following this ODI, the series will be succeeded by a tri-nation series featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, starting later in November 2025. The last bilateral ODI series between these two teams took place in 2019, where Pakistan emerged victorious by winning 2-0.

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