DAMBULLA: Clinical bowling performance, backed by Sahibzada Farhan’s half-century, helped Pakistan down Sri Lanka by six wickets in the T20I series opener here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
The Green Shirts chased down a mere 128-run target on four wickets with 20 balls to spare.
Sahibzada Farhan’s and Saim Ayub’s brisk opening stand of 59 runs in 5.5 overs made the contest one sided affair.
The duo came with an aggressive approach, particularly Farhan, who accumulated 12 from Nuwan Thushara’s opening over.
The pair kept the charge, with Saim and Farhan taking down Maheesh Theekshana and Thushara with nine and 19 runs from the second and third over.
Saim was eventually bowled by Theekshana for 24 from 18, which included three fours and a six. Farhan remained firm, stitching a 35-run partnership with skipper Salman Ali Agha.
The scorecard read 94 in 10.2 overs when Agha was caught after making 16 from 11 deliveries.
Sri Lanka tried to hold things back, but it was too little too late as Farhan and Fakhar Zaman were removed in quick time.
Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 51 from 36, striking two maximums and four boundaries, while Fakhar managed only five from 10 balls.
At 106-4 in 13.2 overs, Pakistan’s chase was steadied by an unbeaten 23-run partnership between Shadab Khan and Usman Khan, which saw the visitors reach the target comfortably.
Shadab scored 18 off 12 balls with the aid of three boundaries. Usman scored an unbeaten seven from 13 deliveries.
For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dhananjaya de Silva scalped one wicket apiece.
Earlier, Pacer Salman Mirza led the bowling attack, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan provided strong support as Pakistan skittled Sri Lanka for a below-par 128 run total in 19.2 overs.
Pakistan pacers mounted pressure on the home side batters right from the onset as openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara were sent back in 3.2 overs.
Nissanka made 12, whereas Mishara could not open his account.
As a result, Sri Lanka were in early trouble with 15-2 with Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis at the crease.
The duo tried to stablize the innings with a brief 22-run stand before both getting dismissed in a span of two deliveries.
Returning Shadab Khan made an immediate impact with the ball, trapping Mendis lbw for 14 while De Silva was caught behind for 10.
With quick wickets, the Islanders were again in recovery mode as Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage tried to arrest the slide with a 34-run partnership.
The pair eventually eased their side’s trouble as the scorecard read 72-5 in 11.3 overs.
But it was Abrar Ahmed this time, who made the crucial breakthrough with Asalanka’s wicket. The former captain scored 18 off 15 balls with the aid of a single boundary.
Meanwhile, Liyanage held the innings with a string of partnerships down the order. He first stitched a 38-run partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga, which was followed by another 17-run stand with skipper Dasun Shanaka, briefly stabilizing their innings.
Hasaranga scored 18, whereas Shanaka could add only 12, leaving Liyanage to shoulder the responsibility as wickets continued to fall around him.
Abrar Ahmed eventually got the better of Janith Liyanage, who top-scored with 40 from 31 balls with the help of two fours and a six.
Sri Lanka’s innings then folded quickly, with the last three wickets falling in the space of one run as they were bundled out cheaply for 128.
For Pakistan, Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed shared six wickets between them. Returning Shadab Khan and Mohammad Wasim were equally supportive with two wickets to their names.
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