Fakhar Zaman revives Champions Trophy memories with winning ton for Pakistan in tri-series final

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman showed he is still the player for big matches as he scored a sizzling century in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka in Lahore on Saturday.

Almost a decade after his winning century in the final of the 50-over Champions Trophy final against India in England, the left-handed opener showed he can still rise to the occasion when the team needs him the most as he smashed 127 from just 99 balls as Pakistan chased down a target of 326.

Zaman, 36, hit 11 fours and six sixes to pull the match in Pakistan's favour after the hosts were rocked early in the chase.

Star batter Babar Azam was out for a duck as he edged one to slip as Pakistan were 14-2.

But Zaman steadied the innings with keeper Saad Baig (74), adding 149 for the third wicket.

However, Sri Lanka still held the upper hand as the asking rate kept climbing.

While Zaman top-scored for Pakistan, it was all-rounder Arafat Minhas who clinched the match for Shaheen Afridi's team.

Minhas smashed 61 from 31 balls with the help of three fours and four sixes to pull the asking rate down.

Even though Pakistan lost two wickets in two balls with victory one run away, the result was never in doubt. Pakistan reached the target with three wickets and nine balls in hand.

It was the joint-highest successful chase in an ODI final.

Earlier, Sri Lanka posted a formidable 325-8 as Kamindu Mendis hit 131 off ⁠128 balls. Pavan Rathnayake scored 77 in a crucial 146-run ​partnership ⁠before Pakistan struck late to restrict the tourists to well before 350, with pacer Afridi taking 2-50.

It was Pakistan's first ODI tri-series title since 2008, when they beat India in Bangladesh.

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Zaman said he was relieved after delivering when his team needed.

“A good performance was due from me because of how my last matches went. I had been trying to score runs but they were just not coming for me,” the left-hander said.

“It is good that I am able to get runs in the finals. I have played domestic cricket with Saad and he is a very talented cricketer. I was struggling when he came in and scored some runs quickly which helped me to settle down.”

The biggest positive for Pakistan was the all-round performance of left-arm spinner Minhas who picked up nine wickets and scored 149 runs in the series, including a title-winning fifty in the final.

“The team needed someone to raise his hand today,” Minhas, named player of the series, said. “I was looking to stay calm. We knew they were short of frontline bowlers because of which we took the game deep.”

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis said the tourists fell short of what could have been a winning total.

“We were short by 25-30 runs,” Mendis said. “But we started well, especially in the first couple of overs. Our bowling unit did well in the powerplay, but our mistakes in the fielding cost us which we need to work on moving forward.”