Pakistan tame Sri Lanka in first T20

COLOMBO: Umar Akmal smashed 46 off 24 balls and Sohail Tanvir grabbed three wickets as Pakistan beat top-ranked Sri Lanka by 29 runs in the first Twenty20 international in Colombo on Thursday.
Pakistan piled up 175-5 after electing to bat and then restricted the reigning World Twenty20 champions to 146-7 in the day-night match at the Premadasa stadium.
Akmal hit three boundaries and as many sixes during an entertaining fourth wicket stand of 81 from just 45 deliveries with Shoaib Malik, who remained unbeaten on a 31-ball 46.
Ahmed Shehzad was the other notable contributor with 46 off 38 balls, but Sri Lanka lost the way when Pakistan plundered 70 runs in the final six overs to set up the challenging target.
Pakistan lost opener Mukhtar Ahmed in the second over, but Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez revived the innings with a 42-run partnership for the second wicket.
Debutant left-arm seamer Binura Fernando conceded 17 runs in the 16th over which included two consecutive sixes by Akmal.
Sri Lanka’s captain Lasith Malinga was the most expensive bowler, giving away 46 runs in his four overs.
“Credit goes to boy,” said Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.
“Shehzad played an outstanding knock. Shoaib Malik also took responsibility as a senior player and Umar Akmal was also great. Team management is doing a great job, and the boys are showing it works,” He also praised his side for their fielding effort.
“They know how important fielding is in today’s game. I want to see a strong bench, and good to see everyone is capable of winning a game for Pakistan,” he said.
The hosts were dealt early blows as Kusal Perera fell off the third ball of the innings and Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed in the next over to make it 13-2.
Debutant Dhananjaya de Silva looked promising during his knock of 31 and another youngster Milinda Siriwardana made 35, before Chamara Kapugedera justified his recall with three sixes in his unbeaten 31 off 16 balls.
“Really happy for the newcomers,” said Malinga.
“Especially Milinda, Kapu. We didn’t get off to good start, three overs, three wickets down. Bowling was not too good. I have to bowl much better in these games.”
Man-of-the-match Sohail Tanvir finished with three for 29 while Anwar Ali took two for 27 to tie down the Sri Lankan batsmen.
“Everything worked well for me,” said Tanvir.
“It swung for me in the first spell. I have been bowling well in the CPL and got wickets when we needed it. I think I proved my selection right, we played well in all three departments, you couldn’t have asked for more,” he added. The second match will be played at the same venue on Saturday with Pakistan looking to complete a triple on the current tour, having earlier clinched the Tests 2-1 and the one-dayers 3-2.
Score Board
Pakistan won toss
Pakistan
Mukhtar Ahmed c Vandersay b Mathews 2
Ahmed Shehzad c Malinga b T Perera 46
Mohammad Hafeez c Vithanage b T Perera 17
Shoaib Malik not out 46
Umar Akmal lbw b Malinga 46
*Shahid Afridi b Fernando 8
Anwar Ali not out 0
Extras (lb3, w7) 10
Total (5 wickets, 20 overs) 175
Fall: 1-10, 2-52, 3-83, 4-164, 5-175
Did not bat: †Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan
Bowling: Fernando 4-0-38-1 (w3), Mathews 4-0-33-1 (w2), Malinga 4-0-46-1 (w2), Vandersay 4-0-25-0, T Perara 4-0-30-2
Sri Lanka
†M D K J Perera c Afridi b Anwar 4
T M Dilshan c Rizwan b Tanvir 6
D M de Silva c Shehzad b Malik 31
K D K Vithanage b Tanvir 1
A D Mathews b Imad 23
T A M Siriwardana c Anwar b Tanvir 35
CK Kapugedera not out 31
N L T C Perera c Rizwan b Anwar 2
B Fernando not out 8
Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 1) 5
Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 146
Did not bat: J D F Vandersay, *S L Malinga
Fall: 1-4, 2-13, 3-19, 4-55, 5-92, 6-116, 7-121
Bowling: Anwar 4-0-27-2(1w); Tanvir 4-0-29-3; Irfan 4-0-25-0; Afridi 4-0-31-0; Imad 3-0-21-1; Malik 1-0-9-1
Result: Pakistan won by 29 runs
Series: Pakistan led the 2-match series 1-0
T20I debuts: D M de Silva, B Fernando, T A M Siriwardana and J D F Vandersay (SL)
Man of the Match: Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan)
Umpires: R E J Martinesz and R S A Palliyaguruge, TV umpire: R R Wimalasiri, Match referee: J Srinath (India)