Playing for Pakistan for the first time since June last year, Shadab Khan impressed with the ball, teaming up with Abrar Ahmed as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the opening match of the three-match Twenty20 International series at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
The all-rounder claimed two wickets, while Abrar chased down three victims to restrict Sri Lanka to a paltry total of 128 runs before Sahibzada Farhan’s half-century helped Pakistan chase down the target with 20 balls to spare.
Shadab gave away just 25 runs in his four overs, taking both his wickets in his very first over and could have taken a third but for a dropped catch later.
Coming into the bowl in the seventh over, after the pace of Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza – which accounted for a wicket each – saw Sri Lanka post 35-2 in the powerplay, Shadab trapped a Kusal Mendis lbw and induced an inside edge off the bat of Dhananjaya de Silva for wicketkeeper Usman Khan to take a good catch.
With Sri Lanka looking to break the hold while at 59-4 at mid-off, it was an opportunity for Abrar to make a run. The mystery spinner deceived Charith Asalanka into bowling a googly, only to be caught behind, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 72-5 midway through the 12th over.
The new Wanindu Hasaranga launched a counter-attack of sorts, prodding Abrar to score a boundary in the 14th over. Liyanage joined in on a slap from Mohammad Nawaz through the covers before sending the left-arm spinner beyond long-off, raising the 100-run mark for Sri Lanka.
Luck followed for Liyanage as an edge flew off his bat for another boundary as 16 runs came in the 15th over.
Hasaranga targeted Abrar again, clubbing him straight to the ground for four more, but bowled the spinner to Fakhar Zaman at cover to depart for 18 off 12, ending the only partnership that seemed to threaten Pakistan.
Liyanage (40 off 31) followed suit in the 18th over, finding Nawaz deep in Abrar (3-25) as he attempted to clear the long fence.
Salman Mirza (3-18) returned to dismiss Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka and new starter Dushmantha Chameera before Wasim (2-7) finished off the first innings.
Pakistan, in response, took off with a flurry of brilliant attacking shots from openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada, leading the team to a 59-1 run at the end of the powerplay, with Saim departing on the penultimate ball of the sixth over.
The left-hander was castled by Theekshana, but only after hitting three fours and a six – a high drive over cover – for his 24 from 18 balls. Sahibzada, at the other end, had used raw power to send Chameera for sixes down the ground and over square leg.
Sahibzada continued the assault, welcoming Chameera with a straight drive for four more before captain Salman Ali Agha, having just joined him, danced down the ground to play Hasaranga’s leg spin over his head for another boundary.
The skipper pushed Theekshana for his second boundary in the next over as Pakistan were 92-1 at the halfway mark, but managed a juicy full toss from Hasranga to go away for 16 off 10.
Sahibzada (51 off 36) made his third half-century in five matches with a cut for three against Chameera in the 12th over, reaching the milestone in 35 balls. But the right-hander perished three balls later, finding Shanaka at mid-on past Chameera.
Pakistan were dealt another blow when Fakhar was stumped by Dhananjaya de Silva with 23 runs needed off 40 balls.
Incoming Shadab (18 not out from 12), however, brought Pakistan within touching distance of a victory with a square and a draw for consecutive boundaries off Chameera in the 15th over before Pakistan crossed the line with 20 balls to spare.
