Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan got a cricketing lesson from inexperienced Sri Lanka when they suffered a 64-run defeat in the first Twenty20 international at the picturesque Gaddafi Stadium before a full house here Saturday evening. The stunning victory gave the visitors 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Chasing a modest victory target of 166, skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and his charges were all bundled out at 101 in 17.4 overs with Nuwan Pradeep and Isuru Udana taking three wickets apiece. The second match will be played on Monday (tomorrow) and the third on Wednesday — all at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Babar Azam (13 off 10) was the first man down at 1.5 overs, caught out from Pradeep’s delivery. Pradeep then bagged a golden duck, when he took Umar Akmal’s wicket on the next ball. He was not fortunate enough to score a hat-trick, however. Ahmad Shahzad (4 off 9) once again disappointed and found himself dismissed after dragging a thick inside edge back onto the stumps courtesy Udana’s ball. In a mix up between skipper Sarfaraz and Iftikhar Ahmed over taking a run Iftikhar (25 off 24) had to exit at 11.3 overs. The skipper (24 off 30) was next to go at 13.2 overs, when he was bowled out by Wanindu Hasranga. Although Sarfaraz and Iftikhar put on 46, they were never able to keep up with the required rate. Over the course of the next three overs, Imad Wasim, Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf all fell, leaving Shadab Khan and Mohammad Amir at the crease. The 18th over saw the match wrap up as the two batsmen were dismissed within a ball of one another by Udana, who by then had a 3-wicket haul along with Pradeep.

Earlier, the visitors received a boost from opener Danushka Gunathilaka who struck a half century as Sri Lanka posted 165 for the loss of 5 wickets. Put into bat after hosts won the toss, Sri Lanka raced to 84 with openers Gunathilaka scoring 57 off 38 balls including a six and eight boundaries and Avishka Fernando making 33 off 34. The in-form Gunathilaka, who recorded his best ODI innings of 133 against the same opposition earlier in the week, put the Pakistan bowlers to the sword and brought up his 50 in just the 8th over. Other run getters were debutant Bhanuka Rajapaksa who scored 32 off 22 with two sixes and as many boundaries while skipper Dasun Shanaka chipped in with 17 including two sixes. For Pakistan, teenage paceman Mohammad Hasnain took a hat-trick, finishing with 3-37.

A heavy presence of Army personnel and police was seen deployed in and around the Gaddafi Stadium to provide security to players and fans. The surroundings of the stadium have been cordoned off by heavy deployment of the personnel of Rangers and the commandos of the police since Friday night. 25 major and small roads around the venue have been blocked for general traffic by placing containers and barriers. More than 13,000 policemen will man roads. Snipers have also taken positions on the buildings declared sensitive in the adjoining of the stadium. In the one-day international series held in Karachi, Pakistan won the three-match series 2-0.