Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali finished with figures of 3-23 off 3.3 overs
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan claimed a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after demolishing Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first Twenty20 International in Abu Dhabi.
Electing to field first, Pakistan had to wait just three balls to get their first breakthrough as Imad Wasim clean bowled Dilshan Munaweera for a duck.
Danushka Gunathilaka made an encouraging start to his innings, but he ended up being caught behind off the bowling of Usman Khan for an 11-ball 18.
Debutant Sadeera Samarawickrama managed to make 23 before being clean bowled by Faheem Ashraf.
However, once he was gone, Sri Lanka collapsed as they went from 51/3 to 68/7.
Captain Thisara Perera couldn’t save his side as he was caught behind off the bowling of Usman for six runs, while Isuru Udana was cleaned up by Hasan Ali for a golden duck.
Seekkuge Prasanna managed to make an unbeaten 23 to help Sri Lanka reach 102 before they were bowled out.
Hasan was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Usman and Mohammad Hafeez snapped up two wickets apiece. As for Wasim, Ashraf and Shadab Khan, they chipped in with one wicket each.
Chasing 103 to win, Pakistan lost opener Fakhar Zaman in the third over as he was clean bowled by Vikum Sanjaya for six runs.
Babar Azam fared no better as he was stumped by Samarawickrama off the bowling of Sachith Pathirana for one run.
Ahmed Shehzad and Shoaib Malik stabilised the innings with a 46-run partnership before Shehzad was caught behind off the bowling of Sanjaya for 22.
Malik and Hafeez mopped up the remaining runs as Pakistan went on to win the match with 16 balls to spare.
Malik finished on 42 off 31 balls, which included four boundaries, while Hafeez remained undefeated on 25 off 23 deliveries, which included three boundaries.
Sanjaya was the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Pathirana claimed one.
Thisara was less than impressed with Sri Lanka’s performance, and said: “If we look back, we need to take positives, we need to score runs to win a match. Our bowlers did pretty well, I’m 100% confident we can do something tomorrow. This is one of the best bowling sides I’ve seen, for the last 1.5 years.”
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed was pleased to have taken a 1-0 lead in the series, and said: “A zabardast (very good) effort from our team. In T20s, batsmen hit more, but we need to focus on the basics. If our basics are good, wickets will come. When we get a chance to play a youngster, we will. We have been working out that we need 40-45-48 runs in the Powerplay, our batsmen are capable.”
Usman was named Man of the Match, and said: “My rhythm is good. Lot of support from the support staff, they tell me to do what I know to do. My pace was good, I was confident today. Because there was pace, I didn’t need to use any variation. Our morale has been good since the Champions Trophy.”