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Cricket

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets as bowlers shine again

Dunya News

Pakistan won the toss, elected to field first, got rid of Sri Lanka for 102 runs, and chased it down

ABU DHABI: (Web Desk/AFP) - Pakistan have won the first T20I against Sri Lanka with 7 wickets in hand and 16 balls to spare. Pakistan bowled Sri Lanka out for just 102 runs. This was the 23rd time that Pakistan wrapped up the opponents in 20-over cricket, most by any other team in the format. All the bowlers chipped in. Hasan Ali took his mandatory 3 wickets for 23 runs. Usman Khan Shinwari and Hafeez took 2 each while Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan took 1 wicket apiece.

Pakistan seemed shaky in the first few overs as Faheem Ashraf was gone for 6 and Babar Azam followed him after scoring just one run. However, Shoaib Malik and Ahmed Shehzad steadied the things a bit before Shehzad also fell after scoring 22 runs off 32 balls. Mohammad Hafeez joined Malik in the middle after Shehzad and the two were meticulous to take the team over the line.

Pakistan won it with 7 wickets in hand and 16 balls to spare. They lead the series 1 - Nil.

Too early to say but yeah, why not? Maybe! *Dreaming*

HIGHLIGHTS

Pakistan innings

17.2 overs: ONE run and VICTORY! And Pakistan have won. Hafeez was cool enough to place it through the covers and take a run instead of going big. It s a comprehensive victory for Pakistan and they lead the 3-match series by 1-Nil now.

15.4 overs: DROPPED! It looked like a beautiful flick but was straight to Udawate and deep square leg but he has dropped a sitter here. Pakistan are 93 for 3.

15.3 overs: FOUR! That was short and pulled by Hafeez for a boundary.

15 overs: Pakistan now need 16 runs and have 7 wickets to spare. With Malik and Hafeez on the crease, Pakistan is in safe hands.

14.1 overs: FOUR! That s hit over the mid-wicket boundary for a boundary. The fielder there might have felt for a moment that it could be caught but couldn t reach it in the end. One bounce four, and Hafeez moves to 16 off 11 balls.

13.1 overs: FOUR! Hafeez has come down the wicket and hit it in the air between the bowler and the mid-on fielder. Great intent and perfect placement.

12 overs: Pakistan are 67 for 3 and now only need 36 runs to win this with 7 wickets and 72 balls in hands. Malik has been playing an important innings here and has scored 29 runs off 20 balls so far. Hafeez has just joined him in the middle.

FYI

11.3 overs: OUT! Is there another twist in the tail? Ahmed Shehzad is gone now after scoring a dismal 22 off 32 balls. It s a brilliant catch by Samarawickrama who dived to his left to take it as Shehzad got a slight flick on this one. Pakistan are now 64 for 3.

10.4 overs: FOUR! And that s a boundary off the inside edge. It remained low and Malik realised a bit late. However, it missed the stumps, as well as the keeper, and went to the boundary for four. 60 for 2, and in complete command now.

9.3 overs: FOUR WOWs! Malik has driven that one beautifully for four. Udana had hardly given any width here but Malik was relentless.

9 overs: Pakistan are now 47 for 2 and seem quite in command. At this time Sri Lanka were 53 for 3 and had no idea what was about to hit them.

Hate knows no boundaries.

7.2 overs: FOUR! It was wide as well and Pakistan get 5 welcome runs here. It s a small total and a few runs here and there suddenly relieve you of all the pressure. They are 38 for 2 now and need another 65 to win.

6.6 overs: FOUR! And Malik has timed that cut shot sweetly. He went for it two balls earlier as well but the fielder somehow managed to pull that one back and save a run but this time it s all four for the former Pakistan skipper.

There was only one boundary in the powerplay.

So what if it didn t seem difficult at first? *Hash-tag TeamPakistan*

6 overs: Pakistan are 21 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. This might not a huge total to chase but Pakistan are already under pressure.

Shoaib Malik is the new man in.

5.1 overs: OUT! Babar Azam is gone. After scoring just one runs off 7 balls, he is gone on the 8th as Pathirana draws him out of the crease and then beats him with the spin. Samarawickrama remove the bails and now Pakistan have lost 2 wickets for just 18 runs. They re making 103 look like 301.

4.6 overs: FOUR! It s been a quiet start from Pakistan but Ahmed Shehzad has come charging down the crease here and smashed that for a boundary through the covers. That was a treat to watch. Had everything in it - timing, placement, and valour.

3 overs: Pakistan are 11 for 1 and Zaman s dismissal has made it interesting, at least for now.

2.3 overs: OUT! And he s been cleaned up by Sanjaya. Fakhar Zaman never looked like going. He was in a hurry and Sanjaya delivered for him. He was trying to play with a cross bat and ended up with the leg-stump knocked over. Pakistan are 10 for 1.

0.3 overs: 2 runs. But it could have been caught had it been just a few paces to its right. The fielder did get a hand on it and it could have been all over for Zaman without even scoring a run. What s the scuttle about?

Pakistan have come out to bat and it will be Faheem Ashraf and Ahmed Shehzad to open the innings.

Sri Lanka innings

Brilliant bowling performance by Pakistan

So Sri Lanka were completely dominated by the Pakistani bowling attack and have were bundled for a meagre 102 runs. Pakistan will be coming out to bat shortly and chase what seems an easy target from the outset.

18.3 overs: OUT! And the resistance has been subdued. It was a slower delivery and Sanjaya has hit it straight to Faheem Ashraf at the extra cover.

18.1 overs: SIX! They did it! Sri Lanka are 101 for 9 and it s not over yet. It was short and Prasanna has heaved it over the deep square leg for the maximum.

18 overs: Sri Lanka are 95 for 9 and Pakistan would love to wrap them up under 100 here.

This is getting sorrier for Sri Lanka with each passing over.

16.1 overs: OUT! And there s the 9th one as Hasan Ali cleans up Udana with the help of a bottom edge. 87 for 9 now Sri Lanka.

Will they get to one hundred? 

15.5 overs: OUT! Brilliantly bowled by Shinwari. He knew Perera would be looking to hit him and he banged it in short. Perera swung it with all the power he had and it was skied in the air. Sarfaraz came running to take it in his safe gloves and Sri Lanka are now 85 for 8.

15 overs: Sri Lanka are 83 for 7 and though a boundary and a six after Pathirana s fall had brought the 100-run mark into sight, the two batsmen at the crease seem to have fallen quiet again after the massive six by Prasanna off Hafeez s bowling.

13.2 overs: SIX! The first runs off Hafeez s bowling and it s been slammed into the stands. That was massive.

12.6 overs: FOUR! This is a boundary. 15 balls ago, when the last boundary was hit, Sri Lanka were only 3 down. They are 72 for 7 now.

12.3 overs: OUT! And now Pathirana is gone. He was trying to pull it but only managed to to top edge it back to Hasan Ali who was delighted to have picked his first of the day.

The 666 curse

12 overs: And it s a double wicket maiden first over by Hafeez. Sri Lanka are in deep, deep trouble at 66 for 6.

Overs 11.4: OUT! Ohh he s struck twice in the first over. The professor is on song here. Shanaka was lured into it by the flight and was betrayed by the spin as Sarfaraz made no mistakes in removing the stumps. It s 66 for 6 and Sri Lanka now really need some miracle to save them from the catastrophy.

Overs 11.1: OUT! And mighty Hafeez has struck on his first ball of the match. It was a drifter and Udawatter had no clue what to do with it. It was hitting the middle and off, and Udawatte has to go. The visitors are now 5 down for 66.

10.3 overs: FOUR! Ohh, there is a boundary as well in this ground. It was more than two overs and a wicket ago it was last seen. Udawatte has swept it fine though.

10.1 overs: OUT! And Shadab Khan has removed Priyanjan now. He was trying to reverse-sweep it and ended up hitting it straight to short third man where Shoaib Malik was waiting for the same blunder.

9 overs: Sri Lanka just don t seem to be negotiating with it at all. They are 53 for 3 now after the end of the 9th over with a run rate of less than a ball.

8.2 overs: OUT! It was coming. Sri Lanka just haven t been able to manage these bowling prowess of Pakistan and after managing only 10 runs in the last 13 balls, and Samarawickrama has been cleaned up by Faheem Ashraf who has knocked his leg-stump over.

6 overs: With just 15 runs off the last 3 overs and the loss of free-flowing Gunthalika, Sri Lanka are now 40 for 2.

5.5 overs: FOUR! Welcome boundary for Sri Lanka. They had only managed to score 7 runs in the last 13 balls after losing Gunthalika and Samarawickrama has somehow managed to score some runs here through his helmet, though the umpire has given it as runs.

Silence from the batsmen for quite some time now. The pressure is building.

3.4 overs: OUT! And Shinwari has got his man. Gunthalika wanted to send this one to the Mars but only managed to nick it to the wicket-keeper and Sarfaraz doesn t miss many. At least when fast bowlers are bowling.

3.2 overs: FOUR! Yes, the first ball couldn t be hit for four this time but his one has got the treatment that it deserved. It was short and was hit over short fine leg for a boundary.

3 overs: So Sri Lanka are 25 for 1 at the end of the third over and the pressure of the wicket in the first over has by and large become irrelevant now.

2.1 overs: FOUR! Ok, so they ve made up their minds to hit a boundary on the first ball of the over. Good thinking! Imad has been swept away for a boundary by Gunathilaka.

1.1 overs: FOUR! And Shinwari gets a very cold welcome from Samarawickrama, who has launched him over the mid-wicket boundary for a smashing boundary. That was harsh.

0.6 overs: FOUR! It was a half hit yet cleared the boundary for a boundary and Gunathilaka s stroke might just have helped the pressure to subside a little.

0.3 overs: OUT! Sri Lanka lose the first wicket as Imad Wasim strikes on the third ball of the game. The visitors are 1 for 1.

Pakistan, who won the preceding one-day international series 5-0, brought opener Ahmed Shehzad back into the side while pace spearhead Mohammad Amir -- unfit for the ODIs - was not included.

Sri Lanka, under new captain Thisara Perera, gave T20 debuts to seven players.

The second match will also be in Abu Dhabi on Friday, while the final game is in Lahore on Sunday.

Teams:

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Shinwari

Sri Lanka: Thisara Perera (capt), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Isuru Udana, Vikum Sanjaya

Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK) and Shozab Raza (PAK)

Tv umpire: Ahmed Shahab (PAK)

ICC match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
 

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