Sahibzada Farhan hit 89 off 53 balls on his debut as captain and Maaz Sadaqat added a 29-ball fifty as Pakistan chased down 183 to beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Rawalpindi, with seven balls to spare. Lahiru Udara’s 91 had carried Sri Lanka to 182 for 8.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Lahiru Udara played the best innings of the first half of the night. Pakistan’s new captain played the best of the second, and it was enough to take the first T20I of the series.
Udara lifts Sri Lanka to 182
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat. Udara made 91 off 55 balls with 11 fours and a six, reaching his fifty in 32 balls. Kamindu Mendis made 23 and Dasun Shanaka 18 off 15, and the innings closed on 182 for 8. Naseem Shah took 3 for 36, and debutant Mohammad Imran finished with 2 for 21.
Farhan and Sadaqat turn the chase
Farhan and Fakhar Zaman opened with 54 before Fakhar fell for 21, caught behind off Eshan Malinga. Sadaqat then joined Farhan, and the pair added 92 for the second wicket. Farhan reached his fifty in 33 balls and finished with 89 off 53, striking ten fours and four sixes. Sadaqat’s 50 came off 29 balls with four fours and three sixes before Maheesh Theekshana had him lbw.
Theekshana and Malinga took two wickets each as Sri Lanka tried to claw back, but Pakistan reached the target in 18.5 overs. Farhan was named Player of the Match.
A winning start as captain
The result came on Farhan’s first match in charge. He was named Pakistan’s T20I captain for the Sri Lanka series, and he led from the front.
What it means for the series
Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0. All three T20Is are at Rawalpindi, with the second on Sunday and the third on Tuesday.
Result: Pakistan (chasing 183; 18.5 overs; Sahibzada Farhan 89 off 53, Maaz Sadaqat 50 off 29) beat Sri Lanka 182/8 (20 overs; Lahiru Udara 91 off 55; Naseem Shah 3-36) by four wickets
Series: Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0
