Shoaib Malik scored his sixth fifty in the shortest format
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Shoaib Malik clubbed a 24-ball 51 and Mohammad Amir took four wickets as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 36 runs in a historic match in front of their home fans in Lahore.
The match marked the first time Sri Lanka has returned to Pakistan since their team bus was attacked by militants back in March 2009.
Being put in to bat first, Pakistan made a strong start to their innings as openers Fakhar Zaman and Umar Amin amassed a 57-run partnership before Zaman was clean bowled by Dilshan Munaweera for 31.
Amin went on to score 45 off 37 balls, which included three boundaries and a six, before he was caught by Sri Lanka captain Thisara Perera at long-on off the bowling of Isuru Udana.
Malik and Babar Azam kept the scoreboard ticking with a 75-run partnership, during which Malik brought up his fifty.
However, shortly after, he was trudging back to the pavilion as he was dismissed by Vikum Sanjaya for 51, which came off 24 balls and included five boundaries and two sixes.
Pakistan ended up finishing on 180/3 as Azam went on to make an unbeaten 34, while Faheem Ashraf struck two sixes during his three-ball 13.
Sanjaya, Munaweera and Udana picked up one wicket apiece.
Chasing 181 to win, Sri Lanka got off to a horrible start as Munaweera was cleaned up by Amir for one run on the eighth ball of the innings.
Sadeera Samarawickrama fell the very next over as he was caught by Azam at deep square leg off the bowling of Imad Wasim for four runs.
In the fourth over, Sri Lanka lost another wicket as Danushka Gunathilaka was caught and bowled by Mohammad Hafeez for nine runs.
With Sri Lanka in trouble at 21/3, they managed to add 36 runs to their score before their collapse continued, starting with the dismissal of Mahela Udawatte.
Dasun Shanaka was the only batsman to put up a real fight as he struck a 36-ball 54, which included five boundaries and three sixes.
Once he was gone, Amir returned and wreaked havoc as he snapped up three more wickets in quick time.
As a result, Sri Lanka fell well short of their target as they limped their way to 144/9 off their 20 overs.
Amir was the most successful bowler with four wickets, while Ashraf took two, and Wasim, Hafeez and Hasan Ali claimed one wicket each.
Mohammad Amir finished with career-best figures of 4-13
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Thisara was disappointed with his side’s performance, and said: “It’s a tough tour. For Pakistan fans, thanks for inviting us. My team-mates gelled like a family. Last three matches, we had to take a lot of positives. We need to do something for our batting unit.”
Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed was delighted to have won, and said: “Playing at home is special. The kind of support we get, the people that come, it gives us a lot of happiness. The way our players are performing in crucial situations, it’s good. The best thing is we are doing it in our country, in front of our fans.
“Our target was to play Faheem up as soon as we could. I’d like to thank the Sri Lanka team. The way our law enforcement have done their job, it will open doors for us, even to play a Test series.”
Malik was named Man of the Match and Man of the Series, and said: “Playing in front of the home crowd and becoming Man of the Match, that’s something. I’d like to thank the Sri Lankan team. This is something we’ve missed for so many years.
“I train every day, I don’t miss my training sessions. If you look good, you always want that in your life. You have to take a couple of balls to get used to the conditions. That’s something I missed in the previous game. Taking singles is the key of your role.”