Pakistan flexed their muscle in the first T20I  in Dambulla, beating Sri Lanka by six wickets with 20 balls to spare. The win was set up by their bowling unit. On a two-paced pitch, Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed picked up three wickets each and a returning Shadab Khan two.

Sri Lanka’s innings never got going. Sent in, they found themselves on 38 for 4 in the seventh over. They recovered to reach 127 for 6 in the 18th but lost the last four wickets for the addition of just one more run.

In reply, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub gave Pakistan a start of 59 in 5.5 overs. Ayub fell for 24 but Farhan carried on, bringing up his fifty off 35 balls. Pakistan did lose three quick wickets when they were around 100 but by then, the result was all but decided. Shadab scored a quick 18 not out off 12 balls and picked up the Player-of-the-Match award.

Given the rain concerns, the pitch had been under covers for the last couple of days. When Salman Agha opted to bowl after winning the toss, he expected his bowlers to make use of the moisture in the surface. He was’t let down. Mirza and Mohammad Wasim largely bowled good lines and lengths, and with some balls skidding through and some holding into the pitch, the run scoring wasn’t easy. When the Sri Lanka openers, Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka, tried to attack, they lost their wickets. As a result, Sri Lakna could manage only 35 for 2 in the powerplay.

Playing his first match for Pakistan since June 2025, Shadab Khan didn’t take long to make an impact. With his third ball, he trapped Kusal Mendis lbw. Two balls later, he had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind with a googly. De Silva, who was playing his first T20I since the 2024 T20 World Cup, made a run-a-ball 10.

At times, Shadab turned his legbreak square. In his third over, he should have had Janith Liyanage caught at long-on. However, Farhan not only dropped the catch but also parried the ball for a six. Still, Shadab finished with 2 for 25 from his four.

Abrar Ahmed, introduced in the 12th over, also struck in his first over. He had Charith Asalanka caught behind to make it 72 for 5. He also had Liyanage dropped off his bowling; this time Mirza grassed a chance at short fine leg. Liayanage rode his luck and added 38 off 23 balls with Wanindu Hasaranga for the sixth wicket. The pair was severe on Mohammad Nawaz, taking 16 off him in the 15th over.

At 106 for 5 with five overs to go and Dasun Shanaka yet to bat, Sri Lanka must have had their sights on 150. But Abrar got rid of Hasaranga and Liyanage in his successive overs. From there on, the end was swift. Mirza and Wasim shared the last three wickets to wrap up the innings.

Sri Lanka had hit their first six in the tenth over of the innings, Pakistan off the tenth ball. Maheesh Theekshana bowled one full outside off and Ayub launched him over extra cover. In the next over, Farhan took Pakistan’s six tally to three with back-to-back hits off Nuwan Thushara. Sri Lanka, in their whole innings, had managed only two.

The pitch had eased out by then but at the same time, the Sri Lanka bowlers showed none of the discipline of their counterparts. Theekshana did bowl Ayub in the sixth over but Sri Lanka needed much more than that.

Shanaka brought Hasaranga on immediately after the powerplay. It was like a last throw of the dice. But with no scoreboard pressure, Farhan and Agha could afford to play him out. Eventually, he dismissed Agha – ironically off a full toss that the batter tried to hit for a six – and finished with 1 for 17 from his quota.

In the meantime, Farhan kept smashing the seamers and took the side past 100 in the 12th over. There was a little hiccup around that time as Pakistan lost three wickets for 12 runs in the space of 19 balls but it did not change anything.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 129 for 4 in 16.4 overs  (Sahibzada Farhan 51, Saim Ayub 24, Salman Agha 16, Shadab Khan 18*; Maheesh Theekshana 1-31, Dushmantha Chameera 1-34, Wanindu Hasaranga  1-17, Dhananjaya de Silva 1-04) beat Sri Lanka 128 in 19.2 overs  (Pathum Nissanka  12, Kusal Mendis  14, Dhananjaya de Silva 10, Charith Asalanka 18, Janith Liyanage 40, Wanidu Hasaranga 18, Dasun Shanaka 12; Salman Mirza 3-18, Mohammad Wasim 2-07, Shadab Khan 2-25, Abrar Ahmed 3-25) by six wickets

(Cricinfo)