Kamindu hits maiden ODI ton as Sri Lanka set Pakistan 326 in final

Sri Lanka set Pakistan a target of 326 in the tri-series final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday, riding on Kamindu Mendis' maiden ODI century. Pakistan won the toss and chose to field, sending the visitors in on a slow-paced surface. Sri Lanka finished on 325 for 8 in their 50 overs. Kamindu's 131 off 128 balls was the centrepiece. On a pitch that restrained strokeplay, a strike rate just above 102 was a considerable achievement. Twelve fours and two sixes accounted for 60 of his runs — roughly 46 percent of his total — meaning the rest came from strike rotation. That balance between boundaries and singles is what separates an anchor from a slogger, and on a slow track it is the hardest skill to execute. The innings was built on two platforms. Avishka Fernando made 38 in an opening stand of 87 inside 18 overs, before Salman Agha removed both Avishka and Kusal Mendis (8) in a double breakthrough that suggested spin, not pace, would be the decisive weapon on this pitch. Kamindu and Pavan Rathnayake then added 146 for the third wicket, with Rathnayake contributing 77. Pakistan's bowling returns were mixed. Shaheen Shah Afridi took 2 for 50, Salman Agha 2 for 44, and Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah two wickets each. The wickets were shared evenly, but 325 conceded is still a heavy ODI cost. The pattern points to an attack built to break innings rather than strangle them. Salman Agha's 2 for 44 was arguably the most valuable return, delivering the crucial mid-innings breakthroughs at a controlled economy. Sri Lanka's late-overs fade is the clearest warning sign. Pakistan took three wickets for 38 runs in the final five overs, with Shaheen dismissing both Kamindu and Dasun Shanaka (17) within two overs. That suggests Sri Lanka lacked a set finisher and that their death-overs depth is a structural fragility rather than an accident. On a surface where the platform deserved more, 325 for 8 reads as a total at the lower bound of what was possible. For Kamindu, the caveat matters. His previous ODI best was 64, so a jump to 131 is a genuine breakthrough signal — but it rests on a single innings. It is a promising indicator, not a proven trend. The next series will determine whether this was a milestone or the start of a transformation. For Pakistan, the biggest personnel risk is Shaheen's dual role as captain and lead bowler across new-ball and death overs, historically a driver of fast-bowling stress. With Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah also frontline quicks, workload management becomes a pressing issue. The toss did not decide this match. Pakistan chose to field and Sri Lanka still posted a competitive total, which confirms the visitors' competence in subcontinental conditions while exposing both sides' structural gaps. The second innings, and the answer to whether 326 is enough, remains unwritten.