Sri Lanka snap six-year winless streak with clinical win

[Torrent Disney]

That Sri Lanka have been in perpetual reform is a fact. That they can rival the top-ranked T20I team with a second-string side - irrational. That they will beat Pakistan with a second-string side, do so for the first time since 2013 and render Lahore's crowd mute in agony - unbelievable.

Bowling Pakistan out for 101 in 17.4 overs, beating them by 64 runs and picking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series: it was that kind of night for Sri Lanka at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Having won the ODIs two-nil, this T20I on Saturday was supposed to be an easy prospect for Pakistan. They had the momentum, had the numbers skewed in their favour - six consecutive wins over Sri Lanka in this format - and even won the toss, opting to chase knowing that it would be difficult bowling with dew-laden wet ball later. But try telling Sri Lanka that. Their bowlers had Pakistan reeling at 22/3 inside the powerplay, in what should have been a simple run-chase. It just wasn't Pakistan's day, their defeat coming not only after they had the better of conditions but also in a game their 19-year-old quick Mohammad Hasnain picked up a hat-trick.

In hindsight, 166 didn't look like a tall run-chase during the innings break. If at all, it smelt of a win for Pakistan, who had done well in the last 10 overs to offset Danushka Gunathilaka's belligerent 57 off 38 balls at the top. Thanks to him, Sri Lanka were in fact 64/0 after the end of the powerplay. Pakistan's tryst with Shadab Khan's spin (1-0-14-0) and Hasnain's pace (1-0-12-0) had fallen flat by then, much like the promise of Faheem Ashraf, who recorded figures of 2-0-16-0 in the powerplay, conceded two consecutive sixes to Dasun Shanaka later in the game, and then returned to score just eight runs with the bat.

It took Mohammad Amir's tight spells and Hasnain's hat-trick (also ft. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka and Shehan Jayasuriya) to get Pakistan back into the game. Sri Lanka could just score 15/2 in the last three overs, meaning they didn't quite have the 180-plus total they needed to bowl with the wet ball. Pakistan were in the game.

But the wicket of Babar Azam, who was brilliant caught by debutant Minod Bhanuka off Nuwan Pradeep, in the second over opened the match. Umar Akmal's return lasted one ball, and Ahmed Shehzad's for eight. It meant that Pakistan were 30/3 in the powerplay, having been undone by pace on a pretty placid pitch. That set the tone for the spinners, in particular Lakshan Sandakan who bowled his four overs for 24 runs.

With their top three back, Pakistan did put on a rearguard through a 44-run stand between Iftikhar Ahmed and Sarfaraz Ahmed for the fourth wicket. But that partnership, spread over seven overs and doing nothing to improve the required run rate, did Pakistan more harm than good. Sarfaraz scored 24 runs at a strike-rate of 80. Iftikhar scored 25 off 24, when over 10 runs per over were needed.

Starting from Iftikhar's run out, the hosts lost their last seven wickets for 33 runs across 37 balls. Pradeep and Isuru Udana finished with three-wicket hauls while Wanindu Hasaranga picked two.

It wasn't quite a return to Lahore that Pakistan would have liked. They were outplayed by a young team and will now need to re-look their selection. Was leaving out Fakhar Zaman for Ahmed Shehzad worth it? Is Faheem Ashraf still an automatic selection? Has Sarfaraz Ahmed cracked the T20 code of batting? Lots to ponder for the hosts before the sides meet for the second T20I on Monday.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 165/5 in 20 overs (Danushka Gunathilaka 57; Mohammad Hasnain 3-37) beat Pakistan 101 in 17.4 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 25; Isuru Udana 3-11, Nuwan Pradeep 3-21) by 64 runs.