Pakistan cruised to an easy win over Sri Lanka, powered by Sahibzada Farhan’s stormy fifty and a joint pace-spin attack that dismantled the Lankan batting lineup.
Only one Sri Lankan batsman managed to reach double figures, while the rest fell short of 20. Unable to build any substantial innings on home soil, Sri Lanka were bowled out cheaply before Farhan’s fiery innings guided Pakistan to a comfortable victory.
Pakistan won the first T20 of the three-match series by six wickets.
In Dambulla on Wednesday, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 128 with two balls remaining, a target Pakistan chased down with 20 balls to spare.
Left-arm pacer Salman Mirza and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed took three wickets each in tight bowling spells.
Making his return to this format after seven months, Shadab Khan took two wickets in his first over. He finished with 2/25 in four overs and also scored 18 off 12 balls*, earning the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance.
Sahibzada Farhan, who had scored 65 in his last match for Rajshahi Warriors in the BPL, made 51 off 36 balls for the national team, including four fours and two sixes.
After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, Sri Lanka’s openers Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka were dismissed early. In the seventh over, Shadab struck again, dismissing Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva in three balls.
Returning to T20 cricket after one and a half years, Dhananjaya made just 10 off 10 balls, leaving Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 38/4.
From there, Janith Liyanage tried to stabilize the innings, sharing two partnerships of 30+ with Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga, who both made 18 runs each. Liyanage’s 40 came off 31 balls with two fours and a six.
The hosts lost their last four wickets for just one run.
In the chase, Sahibzada and Saim Ayub gave Pakistan a flying start. Sahibzada continued from where he left off in the BPL, hitting two fours off Nuwan Thushara in the first over. Saim followed with a six off Mahish Thikshana in the next over.
The momentum continued in the following over, with Saim hitting a four and Sahibzada striking two successive sixes, bringing 19 runs off that over. The opening partnership ended at 59 runs with Saim departing for 24 off 18 balls.
Captain Salman Ali Aga had a steady start but couldn’t anchor the innings, falling to Hasaranga. Sahibzada reached his fifty in 34 balls before getting out just 28 runs short of a hundred.
Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya tried to rescue the innings but fell to Fakhar Zaman, while the rest of the chase was wrapped up comfortably by Usman Khan and Shadab.
Brief Scores
- Sri Lanka: 128 all out in 19.2 overs (Nissanka 12, Mishara 0, Mendis 14, Dhananjaya 10, Asalanka 18, Liyanage 40, Hasaranga 18, Shanaka 12, Chamira 0, Thikshana 1, Thushara 0*; Salman Mirza 4-0-18-3, Wasim 2.2-0-7-2, Fahim 1-0-10-0, Shadab 4-0-25-2, Nawaz 4-0-40-0, Abrar 4-0-25-3)
- Pakistan: 129/4 in 16.4 overs (Sahibzada 51, Saim 24, Salman Ali 16, Fakhar 5, Usman 7*, Shadab 18*; Thushara 2-0-31-0, Thikshana 4-0-31-1, Chamira 4-0-34-1, Hasaranga 4-0-17-1, Dhananjaya 2-0-4-1, 0.4-0-7-0)
Result: Pakistan won by 6 wickets
Series: Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0
Man of the Match: Shadab Khan
