Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, securing a six-wicket victory in Dambulla. Billed as a crucial dress rehearsal for the upcoming World Cup; where Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with India, the visitors pressed from the start.
After winning the toss, Pakistan's bowling attack dismantled the Sri Lankan lineup, restricting them to a modest 128. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan, making his international comeback after shoulder surgery, sparked a middle-order collapse by taking two wickets in his first over. Abrar Ahmed and left-arm quick Salman Mirza provided excellent support, each claiming three wickets to bowl out the hosts with four balls to spare.
Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan attacked early, racing to a 50-run partnership in just 25 balls. Nuwan Thushara struggled under the assault, conceding 31 runs in his opening two overs. Farhan stationed the innings with a fluent 51 off 36 balls, marking his eighth T20I half-century.
While Sri Lanka managed a few late breakthroughs, Babar Azam provided a steady presence to ensure there were no further alarms, guiding the team home in 16.4 overs.
"When you are coming back from injury, it is tough. You have to start from zero, but the surface was helping me," said Shadab Khan, who was named player of the match. He emphasized the importance of the series given Pakistan's unique World Cup logistics: "We have our eyes on the World Cup. With all our games being played here in Sri Lanka, this is a very good series for us."
On the other side, Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka lamented the frequent loss of wickets that prevented them from reaching a competitive total. “We didn’t get a good start and lost too many wickets. We recovered well and should have got over 150, but we lost quick wickets,” Shanaka noted.
Sri Lnaka are in a phase of transition, following the recent axing of captain Charith Asalanka and the dismissal of the selection committee. After the fall of Janith Liyanage, the only one who reached 40, after being dropped earlier, the team squandered the final four wickets for just a single run. A trend they must reverse quickly before the second T20I on Friday.
