Nawaz, Sahibzada shine as Pakistan score seven-wicket victory against Sri Lanka

Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: Spinner Mohammad Nawaz set it up for Pakistan before opener Sahibzada Farhan finished it off to the joy of a packed crowd at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. With Nawaz (3-16) weaving his magic with the ball, including two wickets in two balls, in the Twenty20 tri-nation clash, Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to 128-7 before romping to their target with 4.3 overs to spare in their Twenty20 tri-nation series clash on Saturday. Sahibzada led the batting effort with his sixth T20 half-century, hitting five sixes and six fours in an explosive 80 not out off 45 balls, as Pakistan eased to a six-wicket victory that made in two in two for the hosts, who beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the series opener. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have no wins in two with the defeat following a humbling at the hands on Zimbabwe on Thursday. But it had seemed all so different at the start when skipper Dasun Shunaka won the toss and elected to bat with openers Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka tearing into Pakistan’s bowling with the latter cutting away Salman Mirza for four on the first ball of their innings.

Mishara then pulled Mohammad Waseem Jr, in for the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi, for six and then smashed Salman for a four and a six off consecutive deliveries in the third over. Mishara then slashed at Faheem Ashraf and got a top-edge that ran for four but his enterprising 22 off 12 ended on the next ball when he was undone by the change of pace and found Fakhar Zaman at mid-off. One-drop Kusal Mendis, didn’t last long as he was run out in an attempt to scamper a quick two and Sri Lanka ended the powerplay at 44-2 after the incoming Kusal Perera pulled Faheem away past mid-on for four. Spinner Abrar bowled an expensive first over, giving away 11 — four of them wides, with Perera raising Sri Lanka’s 50 with his second four. But Abrar hit back in his second over, having Nissanka caught at long-off for a sluggish 23-ball 17 and Sri Lanka trudged to 65-3 by the midway point of their innings. Perera, who made 25 off 19, welcomed Saim Ayub into the attack with a six over deep square leg but Nawaz’s double-wicket burst left Sri Lanka reeling.

First Perera was cleaned up with a ball that was tossed outside off but turned enough to find a way between bat and pad and hit the off-stump before Shanaka was sent packing in similar fashion. From 78-3, Sri Lanka slipped to 86-6 when Nawaz had Kamindu Mendis caught thanks to a superb display of athleticism by Waseem in the deep. A first boundary in six overs came when Janith Liyanage, who hit a valiant 41 not out, lifted Abrar straight back over his head for six on the first ball of the 17th and as Sri Lanka crossed 100, Wanindu Hasaranga got a four over extra cover two balls later. An upper-cut for off Waseem got Liyanage his first four and he followed it up with another off Salman in the penultimate over before Hasaranga (11) holed out in the deep. Liyanage, though, couldn’t give Sri Lanka the lift they were looking for in the last over with just seven coming off it.

Pakistan got off to a flyer in the chase, Saim (20) getting the first boundary when he dispatched a full toss by Eshan Malinga and the left-hander ended the second over with two fours through the offside. Sahibzada got on the act, lifting Hasaranga over mid-off for four and then hitting Dushmantha Chameera for a four and six — over square leg. Saim sliced Shanaka for four to bring up his 1000 runs in T20Is but was stumped two balls later. Sahibzada, though, was unfazed by losing his opening partner; crashing Vijayakanth Viyaskanth for four as Pakistan ended the powerplay at 53-1. A glorious cover drive by Sahibzada off Malinga ended a 24-ball boundary drought and Pakistan were well-placed after ending the first 10 overs at 68-1.

Viyaskanth was then crashed by Sahibzada for a four and six, both in the square leg area, off consecutive balls before the right-hander raised his half-century off 33 balls. At the other end, Babar Azam (16) got his first boundary on the 17th ball he faced when he pulled away Shanaka for six. Sahibzada, though, was having no difficulty in getting the big hits — smoking two sixes off Hasaranga in the 13th over and following it up with another down the ground in the next off Chameera, who hit back by cleaning up Babar and trapping captain Salman Ali Agha lbw off consecutive balls. But with Sahibzada at the crease, Pakistan had no late jitters and the right-hander lifted Malinga for four to seal a comfortable victory for his side.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 131 for 3 (Farhan 80 not out, Chameera 2-29, Shanaka 1-14) beat Sri Lanka 128 for 7 (Liyanage 41 not out, Nawaz 3-16, Mirza 1-26) by seven wickets.