Pakistan start T20 series with comfortable win over Sri Lanka

Pakistan underlined their credentials as serious contenders for the upcoming T20 World Cup with a commanding six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the opening match of the three-game series in Dambulla on Wednesday.

Touted as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, which Sri Lanka will co-host with India, the series holds added significance for Pakistan, who will play all their tournament matches on the island owing to political tensions with their nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan ticked most boxes on the night, first bottling Sri Lanka up for a modest 128 and then knocking off the target with 20 deliveries to spare, barely breaking sweat.

The game tilted decisively in Pakistan’s favour early, with Shadab Khan ripping the heart out of the Sri Lankan innings by striking twice in his very first over.

The leg-spinner, returning after shoulder surgery and playing his first match for Pakistan since June last year, marked his comeback with a telling spell.

“When you are coming back from injury it is tough. You have to start from zero but the surface was helping me. 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,” player-of-the-match Shadab said.

Abrar Ahmed complemented Shadab neatly, finishing with 3-25, while left-arm quick Salman Mirza bowled with fire, mopping up the tail with figures of 3-18 as Sri Lanka were bowled out with four balls unused.

During the run chase, openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan flew out of the blocks, racing to 50 in just 25 balls.

Nuwan Thushara bore the brunt of the assault, conceding 31 runs in his first two overs as Pakistan seized early control.

Farhan anchored the chase with a fluent 51 off 36 balls, peppered with four fours and two sixes — his eighth T20I half-century — as Pakistan cruised home without alarm.

For Sri Lanka, the defeat compounds a turbulent lead-up to the series that saw captain Charith Asalanka axed, chairman of selectors Upul Tharanga shown the door and the coaching staff reshuffled.

With little time to catch their breath, the hosts face a swift rethink ahead of the second match on Friday at the same venue.

“We didn’t get a good start and lost too many wickets. That is an issue we need to address. We recovered well and should have got over 150, but we lost quick wickets,” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said.