Pakistan Dominate Sri Lanka in Convincing T20 Victory
In a one-sided affair at the T20 tri-series, Pakistan delivered a commanding performance to thrash Sri Lanka by seven wickets on Saturday. Sahibzada Farhan was the undisputed star of the show, bludgeoning a career-best unbeaten 80 runs from just 45 deliveries to guide his team to an easy victory with 27 balls to spare.
Spin Duo Strangles Sri Lankan Batting Line-up
After Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and opted to bat, his team's struggles continued. Despite a start from Kamil Mishara (22), the innings fell apart during the powerplay. The middle overs were completely controlled by Pakistan's spin attack. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz was particularly devastating, finishing with exceptional figures of 3-16. He was ably supported by leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (1-28), as the pair picked up wickets at regular intervals, reducing Sri Lanka to a precarious 80-5 in just 12 overs.
Nawaz's spell included a brilliant double-strike in one over, where he clean-bowled both Kusal Perera and captain Dasun Shanaka with sharp, turning deliveries. Janith Liyanage offered some resistance with an unbeaten 41, but tight bowling from the Pakistani pacers in the death overs restricted Sri Lanka to a below-par total of 128-7.
Farhan's Blistering Knock Seals the Deal
In reply, Pakistan's chase was nothing short of spectacular, led by the aggressive intent of Sahibzada Farhan. He launched a brutal assault on the Sri Lankan bowlers from the very first over, smashing five sixes and six boundaries. He provided a flying start in a 47-run opening stand with Saim Ayub (20) and then anchored a 69-run partnership with Babar Azam (16).
Farhan brought up his half-century off just 33 balls and finished the game in style, hitting a straight six to not only win the match but also surpass his previous best T20 score of 74. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera (2-29) managed to pick up two consolation wickets, but it was far too little and too late for the struggling Lankan side.
Post-Match Reactions and Looking Ahead
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha hailed it as a "complete game", praising his team's performance with both bat and ball. He specifically highlighted Farhan's match-winning ability, stating that the opener can take the game away from any opposition if he bats for a few overs.
In contrast, a dejected Dasun Shanaka admitted his team's performance was well below par. "We aren’t a team that should perform like this, we’re better than this," he said, acknowledging his team's continued struggle to find rhythm with the bat on this tour. With this win, Pakistan has secured its second successive victory in the tri-series and will next face Zimbabwe on Sunday, while Sri Lanka will look to find answers after two heavy defeats.
