Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first. Pakistan, however, suffered an early setback as Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Saim Ayub for 7 and Fakhar Zaman for 16, leaving the hosts struggling at 32 runs with both openers back in the pavilion.
Babar Azam then attempted to stabilise the innings, scoring 45 off 57 balls alongside wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig. Making his debut, Baig contributed 39 runs from 40 deliveries, hitting three fours and two sixes as Pakistan looked to rebuild after losing their opening wickets.
Salman Agha took charge in the middle order, producing a crucial century that kept Pakistan's innings on track. He struck 10 fours and one six in his 107-run knock. Hasan Nawaz supported him with 37 runs off 49 balls, and the pair added 97 runs for the fifth wicket.
Agha subsequently accelerated the scoring with Arafat Minhas, who made 18 off just 15 balls. Pakistan lost wickets in the final overs but managed to post a competitive total of 305 in 49.5 overs.
For Sri Lanka, Eshan Malinga was the most successful bowler, taking four wickets for 46 runs. Asitha Fernando claimed three wickets, while Dilshan Madushanka finished with two.
Sri Lanka's chase of 306 runs got off to a difficult start, with the team losing four wickets for 91 runs. Kamindu Mendis scored 44 off 50 balls but could not convert his start into a bigger innings. Captain Kusal Mendis managed only 18 runs from 34 deliveries, leaving Sri Lanka under pressure.
Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage then revived the chase with a substantial partnership. Rathnayake scored 79 off 74 balls, while Liyanage contributed 60 from 74 deliveries. The pair added 119 runs off 107 balls for the fifth wicket, bringing Sri Lanka back into contention. When the team reached 210 runs, hopes of a successful chase had strengthened.
After Rathnayake's dismissal, Liyanage joined Dasun Shanaka in an effort to increase the scoring rate. Shanaka struck 28 off 18 balls, including three fours and one six. At one stage, Sri Lanka needed 58 runs from the final eight overs with five wickets remaining.
However, the match turned in Pakistan's favour during the 44th over, when Liyanage and Shanaka were dismissed within four deliveries. Liyanage fell for 60 after Haris Rauf induced an edge that Babar Azam caught, while Shaheen Afridi dismissed Shanaka.
Sri Lanka's lower order then collapsed rapidly. In the 45th over, Naseem Shah had Sachindu Colombage caught by wicketkeeper Saad Baig. On the following delivery, a lack of coordination between Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando resulted in Malinga being run out.
The final wicket fell when Asitha Fernando, who scored seven runs, was bowled by Haris Rauf. Sri Lanka lost its last five wickets for just 15 runs and was bowled out for 268 in 48.1 overs, handing Pakistan a 37-run victory.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi led the bowling attack with three wickets for 55 runs. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf claimed two wickets each, while Faheem Ashraf also finished with two wickets.
Salman Agha's century proved decisive in Pakistan's opening ODI tri-series fixture, while the late collapse of Sri Lanka's batting lineup ended a chase that had briefly put the visitors in a position to challenge for victory.
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