You absolutely have to see what Faheem Ashraf pulled off tonight. This dude made an insane relay catch that single-handedly broke Sri Lanka’s opening partnership in their ODI Tri-Series match against Pakistan, all because debutant wicketkeeper Saad Baig just couldn’t hold onto the ball. Seriously, if you blinked, you missed the madness!
Baig’s Blunder and Ashraf’s Brilliance
Pakistan had already put up a solid 305 runs after batting first, but Sri Lanka was making a steady start to their chase, building a 30-run opening stand. Then came the sixth over. Naseem Shah delivered a short ball, Avishka Fernando went for the pull, but it was just too cramped. He got a top edge, and that ball went SO high, heading towards short fine leg. Baig, the debutant behind the stumps, ran in, got both hands on it, but then, man, he lost his balance and the ball just popped right out of his gloves! My heart stopped for a second, I swear.
But then, out of nowhere, Faheem Ashraf. He was positioned behind Baig, near deep fine leg, and reacted in a flash. He snatched that ball right after it slipped out of Baig’s hands, completing what they call a relay catch. It was pure clutch. That play shut down Sri Lanka’s momentum right there, ending that 30-run partnership and getting Avishka Fernando out in the most unexpected way possible.
The Batting That Set the Stage
Before all that drama, Pakistan’s batters put in some serious work to set that big target of 305. Salman Ali Agha was an absolute machine, hammering 107 runs off just 90 balls. What a knock! And Babar Azam, the man, contributed 45 runs himself. More than that, with those 45 runs, he crossed the incredible 16,000-run mark in international cricket. He’s only the fifth Pakistan batter to ever hit that milestone, joining legends like Javed Miandad, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Younis Khan. That’s some elite company right there.
When it was all said and done, Sri Lanka couldn’t keep up. Pakistan’s total was too much, and they bowled Sri Lanka out for 268. What a game, what a save. Pakistan bags the win by a solid 37 runs!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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