Agha’s innings of 107 from 90 deliveries, which featured 10 fours and a six, proved to be the cornerstone of Pakistan’s 37-run victory. This century marked his fourth in 54 ODIs, with every one of those hundreds coming while batting at No. 5 or lower, allowing him to surpass the previous national record held by Mohammad Yousuf.
A new benchmark for Pakistan’s middle order
Before Agha’s latest display, Mohammad Yousuf held the record with three centuries scored from the No. 5 position or lower across his career, which spanned from 1998 to 2009. Agha has now eclipsed that mark, notably becoming the first Pakistani batter to register three ODI hundreds specifically at the No. 5 spot, a feat he has accomplished in just 33 innings at that position.
While Agha’s rise is significant for Pakistan, he remains in pursuit of the global leaders in this category. The international record for the most ODI centuries from the No. 5 position or lower is currently shared by England’s Jos Buttler and South Africa’s David Miller, both of whom have recorded eight hundreds. Other legends of the game, including India’s MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, finished their illustrious careers with seven centuries each from those lower-order positions.
Late collapse seals victory for Pakistan
The match itself was a contest of shifting momentum. After Agha’s century provided the foundation, he received crucial support from the lower order, including a 97-run partnership with Hasan Nawaz and a 64-run stand with Arafat Minhas. However, the game remained in the balance during the second innings as Sri Lanka mounted a spirited recovery.
Sri Lanka had initially stumbled to 91/4, but a 119-run partnership between Janith and Pavan Rathnayake brought them back into contention. With Dasun Shanaka adding a quick-fire 25 off 14 balls, the visitors appeared to be cruising toward the target, requiring only 58 runs from the final eight overs with five wickets in hand. The tide turned abruptly when Janith and Shanaka fell in the space of four deliveries. Pakistan’s bowlers capitalized on the opening, dismantling the remaining Sri Lankan lineup to claim the final five wickets for just 15 runs, securing a 37-run win.
