Azan Ahmed’s Unbeaten 63 Powers Pakistan U17 to Series Lead Over Sri Lanka
Pakistan's Under-17 side took a 2-1 lead in their five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka Under-17 on Monday, sealing a five-wicket win in the third match at Multan Cricket Stadium — and it was captain Azan Ahmed who led from the front.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 159 in 44 overs after choosing to bat first. Sandaru Malshan top-scored with 52 while Methuka Gunarathne made 49, but Pakistan's bowlers kept chipping away — Fahad Iqbal led the attack with 3 for 34, with Ammar Khan and Daud Rana claiming two wickets apiece.
The chase was never entirely smooth, but Azan anchored it superbly with an unbeaten 63 from 94 balls, striking four boundaries as Pakistan reached the target in 41.5 overs with five wickets in hand. Adeesha Lakshan was Sri Lanka's best bowler with two wickets. The fourth match is scheduled for October 21 at the same venue.
Bowling Lays the Platform
Pakistan's decision to attack early paid off: Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals and never recovered momentum after Malshan's dismissal. Fahad's three-wicket haul was the standout, but the support cast kept the pressure on throughout the 44 overs.
For anyone catching up on the sports news this morning, the scoreboard tells a story of sustained pressure. Sri Lanka, having elected to bat first, were never allowed to settle. Malshan's 52 from 63 balls, with five fours, was the innings' backbone, while opener Methuka Gunarathne's 49 from 73 balls, featuring four boundaries, gave the tourists a platform — but neither could convert into the big hundred their side needed.
Fahad's 3 for 34 broke the back of the innings, and the supporting numbers were outstanding: Daud Rana claimed 2 for just 10 runs, a miserly spell that strangled the scoring, while Ammar Khan's 2 for 31 kept the pressure on from the other end. Between them, Pakistan's bowlers ensured that Sri Lanka's decision to bat first backfired, with the tourists dismissed for 159 — a total that always looked below par.
The discipline was the story. Where Sri Lanka had piled up 239 for 6 in the series opener, here they lost wickets in clusters and could never build the partnerships that had served them so well earlier in the tour.
Captain's Knock
Azan's mature innings underpinned the chase. The skipper rotated the strike calmly, punished the loose balls, and ensured there were no late wobbles — exactly the temperament Pakistan will want with the series still to be decided.
Coming in at number four with the chase in the balance, the 17-year-old played the situation perfectly. His unbeaten 63 from 94 balls was built on patience and placement rather than power: four boundaries, constant rotation of the strike, and a refusal to take risks when the match situation did not demand them. It was the innings of a player who understood that the target, not the highlight reel, was what mattered.
He was not alone in seeing the job through. Mohammad Yousaf contributed 22 and Mohammad Naveed made 20, the kind of supporting hands that turn a captain's knock into a team victory. Lakshan's 2 for 34 made him Sri Lanka's best bowler on the day, but the tourists simply did not have enough runs to defend.
For Azan personally, the innings continues a remarkable run of form as a leader. A leg-spinner by trade who has recently impressed with his all-round performances, he was appointed captain after leading Rawalpindi to the National U17 Cup title — and knocks like Monday's show exactly why the selectors backed him.
The Series So Far: A Seesaw Battle
Monday's result continued a series that has swung wildly from one match to the next. The tour, which runs from October 9 to 24 in Multan and features one three-day match and five One-Day games, began with Sri Lanka firmly on top.
The three-day match, played from October 9 to 11, was drawn — but not before Pakistan posted an imposing 434 for 8 declared, built around Mohammad Yousaf's magnificent 161, with support from Sudais Ahmed (61), Arsalan Hassan (45) and Hamid Raza (40). Sri Lanka replied with 285 all out, Sashith Bandara making 103, and reached 208 for 6 in their second innings before time ran out.
Sri Lanka then thumped Pakistan by 99 runs in the first One-Day. Gunarathne anchored the tourists' 239 for 6 with 77 off 92 deliveries, sharing an 88-run opening stand with Yenula Hewavitharana (36) and adding 67 with Reshon Solomons (42). Pakistan's chase never got going: they were bowled out for 140 in 39 overs, with Malshan's 3 for 16 ripping through the middle order.
Pakistan hit back in devastating fashion in the second match, winning by 151 runs. Yousaf struck a century — 117 from 135 balls with eight fours and two sixes — as Pakistan posted 274 for 9, before Fahad's 4 for 24 skittled Sri Lanka for 123 in 40 overs. It was a complete performance, and it set up Monday's decider for the series lead.
Azan Ahmed: The Captain Leading From the Front
The PCB's decision to hand the captaincy to a 17-year-old leg-spinner raised eyebrows when the squad was announced, but Azan Ahmed has spent the series justifying the faith. Having recently led Rawalpindi to the National U17 Cup title with an impressive campaign, he was the selectors' choice to lead the national age-group side — and he has led exactly as a captain should.
His leadership has been visible in the field as well as with the bat. Pakistan's bowling has been the more consistent unit across the series, and the young captain's handling of his attack — giving Fahad the freedom to strike while using Rana's economy to build pressure — was evident in Monday's demolition of the Sri Lankan innings.
For Pakistan's age-group programme, producing captains who can manage games as well as play them is the entire point of these series. The Sri Lanka tour is as much about development as results, and in Azan the system appears to have found a genuine leader.
What the Win Means
The five-wicket victory gives Pakistan a 2-1 lead with two matches to play, and the momentum has swung decisively. After the 99-run defeat in the opener, back-to-back wins — by 151 runs and then five wickets — suggest a young side that is learning fast and adapting to conditions.
The series, which has seen competitive cricket from both sides, now moves into its decisive phase with Pakistan holding the advantage. The tourists will need to win both remaining matches to take the series; Pakistan need just one more victory to seal it.
For the home side, the most encouraging sign is the spread of contributions. Yousaf's hundreds, Fahad's wicket hauls, Rana's economy and now Azan's captain's knock — this is not a one-man team but a squad with match-winners in several departments.
More Than a Series: The Youth Pipeline on Display
For fans who went to bed on Sunday night wondering who won the game last night, Monday's answer was emphatic: Pakistan's next generation, and in some style. But beyond the result, series like this one are the lifeblood of international cricket's future.
The Sri Lanka tour — one three-day match and five One-Dayers, all staged at Multan Cricket Stadium between October 9 and 24 — is exactly the kind of sustained, high-intensity age-group cricket that boards invest in to build their senior teams of tomorrow. The PCB announced its squad with a clear eye on development, and the tourists arrived in Pakistan on October 5 ready for a full fortnight of competition.
These tours matter because they expose teenagers to the rhythms of international cricket: the travel, the pressure of must-win games, the challenge of adapting to foreign conditions. A player who learns to anchor a chase under lights in Multan at 17 is a player far better prepared for the step up when it comes. The drawn three-day match, the 99-run defeat, the 151-run response and now the five-wicket series lead — this squad has already experienced the full emotional range of a tour, and that education is priceless.
For Sri Lanka, too, the tour has unearthed genuine talent. Gunarathne's 77 in the opener, Malshan's all-round contributions and Bandara's three-day century are performances that will have been noted by the island's selectors. Age-group cricket is a long game, and both boards will judge this tour on the players it produces as much as the results it delivers.
What Happens Next
The fourth match of the series will be played on Wednesday, October 21, at Multan Cricket Stadium, with the fifth and final match scheduled for October 24 at the same venue. All eyes will be on whether Pakistan can close out the series at the first time of asking.
Sri Lanka, for their part, know they must win to stay alive in the series. Their top order — Gunarathne, Malshan and Solomons — has shown it can score runs, but the middle order's collapses in the last two matches are a concern. Expect the tourists to come out fighting on Wednesday.
For Pakistan, the message from the captain will be simple: one more professional performance. If the bowlers maintain their discipline and the batters show the same composure Azan displayed on Monday, the series is theirs to lose.
Source: The Nation (Pakistan)