Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first in the third ODI against Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts already lead the three-match series 2-0 after a six-run win in the opener and an eight-wicket win in the second game, and will look to complete a 3-0 whitewash.
Babar Azam’s drought-breaking hundred set up a dominant eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second ODI on Friday.
Pakistan were set to chase 289 and chased down the target comfortably, losing just two wickets with 10 balls to spare.
The Green Shirts made a dominant start to the chase as their opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub formed a lively partnership to score 77 runs in just 9.3 overs before the latter fell victim to Dushmantha Chameera.
Saim scored 33 off 25 deliveries, hitting five fours and a six.
Babar walked in to bat at No. 3 and joined Fakhar in the middle, and the experienced duo ensured Pakistan’s momentum was maintained by knitting a 100-run stand, which ultimately culminated in the opening batsman dismissing Chameera in the 31st over.
Fakhar scored 78 off 93 deliveries with the help of eight fours and a six.
Babar Azam, on the other hand, stood firm and ended his two-year international drought before leading Pakistan to series victory when he hit the winning runs on the second delivery of the penultimate over.
The right-handed batsman top-scored for Pakistan with an unbeaten 102 off 119 deliveries, studded with eight fours.
He shared an unbeaten 112-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 51 not out off 54 balls, hitting five fours and a six.
Chameera remained the lone wicket-taker for the touring side, making two scalps for 58 runs in 10 overs.
