By Admin 
Pakistan won by 6 wickets in the opening match of the T20 series played against Sri Lanka at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Wednesday. With this, the visiting team has taken a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.
After losing the toss and coming to bat, the Sri Lankan team was reduced to 128 runs in 19.2 overs. Sri Lanka had lost 4 wickets till the score of 38. From here, Janith Liyanage along with Charith Asalanka scored 34 runs for the fifth wicket and took the team to the score of 72.
Asalanka was out after scoring 18 runs in 15 balls, after which Janith Liyanage made a partnership of 38 runs with Hasaranga for the sixth wicket, taking the team beyond 100.
Janith Liyanage was out after scoring 40 runs in 31 balls. His innings included 1 six and 2 fours. Apart from these, Wanindu Hasaranga contributed 18 runs to the team’s account.
From the opposition camp, Salman Agha and Abrar Ahmed took maximum 3 wickets, while Mohammad Wasim Junior and Shadab Khan took 2 wickets each. In response, Pakistan registered victory in just 16.4 overs. The opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub made a partnership of 59 runs in 5.5 overs. Saim was out after scoring 24 runs in 18 balls, after which Farhan along with Salman Agha scored 35 runs in 27 balls for the second wicket.
Farhan was out after scoring 51 runs in 36 balls with 2 sixes and 4 fours, while captain Agha contributed 16 runs to the team’s account. Usman Khan (7 not out) with Shadab Khan (18 not out) made an unbroken partnership of 23 runs for the fifth wicket and gave the team an easy victory. Mahesh Deekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjay de Silva took 1 wicket each from the host team. The remaining two matches of the series will be played between the two countries on the same ground on 9 and 11 January.
RSG