Pakistan win tri-series final as Fakhar Zaman century denies Sri Lanka in thrilling chase

• Opener scores 127 from 99 balls in Lahore

• Kamindu Mendis’s 131 proves in vain for Sri Lanka

This mini-tournament has been a welcome change of pace, carrying more meaning than your bog-standard three-match white-ball slog between two teams. And then there’s the gift of a final. This was a fitting conclusion under the lights in a packed-out Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, settled in the penultimate over as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets to win the tri-series.

Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s hero from the 2017 Champions Trophy final, crashed his way to 127 in a chase of 326. But plenty of work remained after his dismissal, and the new boys needed to stay calm. Arafat Minhas, 21, and Hasan Nawaz, 24, played like old-timers, their partnership of 94 securing the game. Minhas and Faheem Ashraf fell with two runs still required, but Shaheen Afridi finished the evening with a wallop over the ropes.