All-rounder Hafeez guides Pakistan to a six wicket win- Sri Lanka v Pakistan 1st ODI Match Review

All-rounder Hafeez guides Pakistan to a six wicket win- Sri Lanka v Pakistan 1^st ODI Match Review: Mohammad Hafeez took 4-41 and scored 103 to help Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the first One Day International in Dambulla. Hafeez’s all-round performance was fetched with a deserving ODI Man of the Match honour.

After beating host Sri Lanka 2-1 in the test series, Pakistan started the ODI series in a bright note as the Azhar Ali led side restricted host for 255/8 in 50 overs. With Mohammed Hafeez claiming his best bowling figures of 4 for 41.

Chasing 256, Mohammed Hafeez got into the act to smash a brilliant hundred in his innings of 103 from 95 balls. He was dually supported by youngsters Ahmed Shehzad (29) and Babar Azam (25), though wickets kept flowing from one end.

Hafeez was positive and after passing his fifty, upped the ante and played some excellent counter-attacking cricket. In the process, he became the second Pakistani player after Shoaib Malik to score a hundred and take four wickets or more in an ODI. This was Hafeez’s first ODI hundred in 22 innings. He was caught and bowled by Tisara Perera which ended a splendid knock from the professor.

Another veteran Shoaib Malik also played his part while compiling a fluent 55 of 45 balls. He was ably supported by Mohamme Rizwan (20*) to form an unbeaten 61 run partnership. Meanwhile Malik finishes the game in fine style with a six over long-off to Dilshan, which also brought up his 32nd ODI fifty and gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the series.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Azhar Ali won the toss and made Sri Lanka bat at Dambulla Stadium. Dinesh Chandimal top scored with an unbeaten 65 to give the home side a competitive 255 for 8 while other batsmen failed to convert good starts into substantial scores.

Chandimal put on 82 for the fifth wicket with skipper Angelo Mathews (38) and 40 for the seventh with debutant Milinda Siriwardana (22) after the first four batsmen had fallen for 118 by the 27th over. Dilshan made 38 after being caught off a Mohammad Irfan no-ball when he was on two.

Hafeez, who was reported for a suspect action during the preceding Test series and underwent tests in Chennai, last week, took the field only because he is allowed to play till the results are declared.

The 34-year-old seized the opportunity to finish with his best ODI bowling figures in good batting conditions of 4 for 41 in his 10 overs. While seamer Rahat Ali took two wickets in the 49th over as Sri Lanka scored 56 runs in the last nine overs.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka- 255 for 8 (D Chandimal 65*, A Mathews 38, Hafeez 4-41)

Pakistan- 259 for 4 in (M Hafeez 103, Shoaib Malik 55*) won by six wickets.