COLOMBO: Pakistan won the final Twenty20 (T20) match against Sri Lanka by one wicket and claimed the series after an interesting fight at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo here on Saturday.
All-rounder Anwar Ali played vital role for taking Pakistan by hammering series of sixes and fours to reach its individual score of 46 on just 17 balls. Ali twisted the match condition in favour of Green Shirts that was completely collapsed after dismissal of Boom Boom Shahid Afridi.
Shahid Afridi scored 45 runs on 22 balls to be become the second top scorer from his side. Imad Wasim hit the winning six while his individual score was 24. Binura Fernando grabbed two wickets while Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Milinda Siriwardana and debutant Shehan Jayasuriya took one wicket each.
Sri Lanka Inning:
Sri Lanka had set handsome target of 173 runs against Pakistan in the second and final Twenty20 (T20) match being played at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Sri Lanka faced early collapse of opening wickets in shape of Tillakaratne Dilshan 10 at the score of 24 and then Kusal Perera scored 19. However, the team lifted by debutant Shehan Jayasuriya who brilliantly scored 40 runs on 32 balls.
Middle order Chamara Kapugedera was highest scorer with not out 48 runs with two Fours and four cracking sixes that thwarted all efforts of Pakistani bowlers to down the run rate.
Milinda Siriwardana was the third top scorer with 23 runs after debutant Jayasuriya while other batsmen failed to contribute reasonable score to their team.
Toss:
Host Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first against Green Shirts in the second and final Twenty20 (T20) match being played at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Two Sri Lankan players including Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka are making their international debuts by replacing Mathews and Kithuruwan Vithanage that leads Malinga-eleven to contain six players with two T20I caps or fewer.
Sri Lanka Squad:
Kusal Perera†, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Thisara Perera, Binura Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Malinga*
Pakistan Squad:
Mukhtar Ahmed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi*, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Rizwan†, Imad Wasim, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan
