Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the T20I series opener at Dambulla on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest 129-run target to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, Pakistan crossed the finish line with six wickets and 20 balls remaining.
Sahibzada Farhan was the highest scorer with a rapid 51 off just 26 balls, laced with four fours and two maximums. His opening partner, Saim Ayub, contributed 24 off 18 balls with the help of three fours and one maximum. Shadab Khan made an unbeaten 18 off 12 balls with the help of three boundaries to finish the game.
Skipper Salman Agha made 16 off 11 balls, hitting two boundaries. Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera and Dhananjaya de Silva took one wicket each. Shadab Khan was named player of the match.
After being put into bat, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were bundled out for 128 in 19.2 overs.
Janith Liyanage was the top scorer for the hosts with 40 off 31 balls, hitting two fours and one maximum. Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga contributed 18 each, Kusal Mendis 14, and skipper Dusan Shanaka and Pathum Nissanka 12 each, while Dhananjaya de Silva made 10 runs.
Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed bagged three wickets each, while Shadab Khan and Mohammad Wasim Jr took two wickets apiece.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: 1 Nissanka, 2 Mishara, 3 K Mendis, 4 de Silva, 5 Asalanka, 6 Shanaka, 7 Liyanage, 8 Hasaranga, 9 Chameera, 10 Theekshana, 11 Thushara
Pakistan Playing XI: 1 Ayub, 2 Farhan, 3 Agha, 4 Fakhar, 5 Usman, 6 Shadab, 7 Nawaz, 8 Faheem, 9 Wasim, 10 Mirza, 11 Abrar
