Depleted Lankans outplay Pakistan

New-look Sri Lanka achieved their biggest T20 win over world No 1 Pakistan by 64 runs on the back of some brilliant batting and bowling in Lahore on Saturday.

Opener Danushka Gunathilaka scored a career-best 57 and despite a hat-trick by teenage Pakistan paceman Mohammad Hasnain, Sri Lanka posted a challenging 165/5 in their 20 overs.

Fast bowlers Isuru Udana (3-11) and Nuwan Pradeep (321) then dismantled Pakistan for 101 in 17.4 overs to give Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the threematch series.

“It’s a great achievement for us without our top guns,” Dasun Shanaka, captaining Sri Lanka for the first time, said.

“Our openers were tremendous on this wicket. We had great belief in this team.

“All the credit needs to go to the openers and debutant Banuka [Rajapaksa]. The bowlers also started well.”

Pradeep had world No 1 T20 batsman Babar Azam in the second over to set the platform for their biggest win against Pakistan in 19 bilateral matches.

The previous biggest T20 win by Sri Lanka over Pakistan was by 37 runs in 2012.

Pakistan needed a big innings from Azam, who promised much with two boundaries but was caught behind off Pradeep.

Comeback stars Umar Akmal fell for a first ball duck while Ahmed Shehzad managed just four before skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed (24 off 30 balls) and Iftikhar Ahmed (25 off 24) added 46 runs for the fourth wicket.

However, they batted slowly and the asking rate soared.

Udana then chipped in with three wickets and spinner Wanindu Hasaranga two to stun Pakistan. –