Hafeez, Ajmal help Pak seal ODI series against Sri Lanka

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the fourth One-Day International on Wednesday in the UAE to clinch the ODI series, which is their seventh One-day series win in the year.

Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez notched his third hundred of the series and ninth ODI ton, finishing with 113 not out, while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal grabbed four wickets to help Pakistan knock off their modest 226-run target in the 42nd over to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead ahead of Friday''s fifth and final match.

Pakistan had restricted Sri Lanka to 225 all out in 48.5 overs with Ajmal (4-39) and paceman Umar Gul (3-37) sharing the spoils, while Hafeez became the sixth batsman in all One-day cricket to hit three tons in one bilateral series.

After the conclusion of the One-day series, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will play three Tests, starting in Abu Dhabi on December 31.

Image: Mohammad Hafeez

Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters