Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 37 runs to win first T20 match

Sri Lanka made 132 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.


Afp June 01, 2012

HAMBANTOTA: When the Pakistan T20 team captain Mohammad Hafeez was dismissed on the first ball, one hoped that this would not set the tone for Pakistan's innings, chasing the 133 run target set by Sri Lanka.

This was not to be as Pakistan struggled to get a foothold for the entire innings, succumbing to 12 for three before the fourth over ended. While opener Ahmed Shehzad tried to stabilise the innings, he found little support from any of his partners.

Shoaib Malik, brought back into the team, managed to support Shehzad in a 32 run partnership before he was caught by Perera. Shahid Afridi too failed to make an impact on the innings, making a solitary run before his dismissal.

Sri Lanka too had seed a horrendous start, losing early wickets, but they recovered to reach 132 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.

Sri Lanka had were teetering at 89-for seven when Thisara Perera helped his team reach a respectable score.

For Pakistan, Sohail Tanveer finished as the pick of the bowlers claiming three wickets, conceding 12 runs in his allotted four overs.

Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene elected to bat after winning the toss against Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.

Pakistan made a promising start, reducing Sri Lanka to 39 for 3 with Sohail Tanveer claiming the scalps of the captain Jayawardene, Sangakkara and Dilshan.

The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Khalid Latif, Shakeel Ansar, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami.
Umpires: Asoka de Silva (SRI) and Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

COMMENTS (23)

shai | 11 years ago | Reply

@malik: thus slapping the faces of Indian??? get some life dude!!!!!!!

malik | 11 years ago | Reply

I can understand batsmen playing shots and getting out to catches on the boundary line. But, see the shots played by Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi. Even school kids would be ashamed to play such shots, especially when the wicket had something for the bowlers.

By the way, don't criticise Shoaib Malik. He is being rewarded for bringing Indian idol to Pakistan and thus slapping the faces of Indian.

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