Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 1st T20I - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka, 2015 Venue: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Date & Time: Jul 30, 07:00 PM LOCAL

Sohail Tanvir picked up 3 for 29 to dent Sri Lanka's chase of 175 © Cricbuzz

Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal continued to milk the bowling with ease. The 15th over bowled by Angelo Mathews appeared to have been all about singles and twos but when Malik succeeded in getting an outside edge past the short third-man fielder for four, the scoreboard reflected that 11 runs had come off the over.

The unquestioned talent of Umar Akmal was on display in the next over when he pulled away a Binura Fernando delivery for six and when the bowler adjusted his length and bowled a touch fuller, he went over long-on for another maximum. Binura is paying for his lack of pace.

There were to be no heroics from Thissara Perera this time as the Sri Lankan all-rounder fell to a sharp bouncer from Anwar Ali for a four-ball two effectively ending Sri Lanka's hopes of a pulling off a surprise win. Pakistan have been ruthlessly effective this tour. And this has been another fabulous performance from them. Only the finishing touches left in this one.

Since 2006, Pakistan had not won a bilateral series in Sri Lanka, be it in Test or ODIs. However, Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali's sides ended the barren run with convincing series victories in the three-match Test series and the five-match ODI series. Now, Shahid Afridi's men will look to extend the good run when they take on Sri Lanka in a two-match T20I series starting on 30th July. Meanwhile, the hosts, the defending T20 champions, now with a side brimming with youngsters, will be hoping to prevent Pakistan from making it three trophies in a row.

"Batsman are going to like it. It is going to be all about the runs. There is a good covering of grass. The bounce will be true. Win the toss and bat first, try and get a score around 170-180. It should stay like that for the entire 40 overs. We are in for a thriller," says Russell Arnold.

Shahid Afridi won the toss in the first T20I and elected to bat. He reckoned that a total of 175 would be tough to chase down. Unlike the Sri Lankan side, Pakistan's team features some familiar names. Shahid Afridi is of course the captain while Umar Akmal and Sohail Tanvir also are picked. Meanwhile, in a surprise move the team management have decided to leave out Sarfraz Ahmed. Big call.

Sri Lanka meanwhile have handed a debut to the exciting leg spinner Vandersay.

Teams:

Sri Lanka:

Kusal Perera(w), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews, Chaturanga de Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lasith Malinga(c), Binura Fernando

Pakistan:

Ahmed Shehzad, Mukhtar Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Shahid Afridi(c), Sohail Tanvir, Anwar Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Irfan

- Binura Fernando, left-arm fast to open the bowling with Ahmed Shehzad nad Mukhtar Ahmed opening.

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16 8

Shoaib Malik struck instantly after being introduced into the attack. Dhanjaya de Silva was offered no pace to work with and the youngster ended up pulling a delivery straight down the throat of deep mid-wicket fielder to be dismissed for a patient 31. Chamara Kapugedara, the new batsman hit a started off with a big six as the equation reduced to 77 off 36.

Milinda Siriwardana raced away to a 16-ball 34 and along with Kapugedara (11 off 4) reduced the equation to 62 off 30. Still a difficult proposition but the manner in which they dismantled Md. Irfan in the 15th over will fill the Sri Lankans with hope. Three boundaries came off that over as the duo milked the seven-footer for 15 runs in the over.

Sohail Tanvir picked up his third wicket of the innings when he had young Siriwardana hit a full-length delivery to the long-on fielder Anwar Ali who held on to a safe catch. Really, the run-rate pressure forced Milinda into playing a shot a ball. All is not lost yet. Kapugedara and Thisara Perera are in now. They have experience on their side but can they pull this chase off ? 14.25 runs per over required. A bit too much i'd reckon.

Pakistan romped home to a 29-run win in the first T20I at Colombo. Having notched up an impressive 175 in their 20 overs after winning the toss, Pakistan seized the initiative when they picked up three early wickets in the chase. These included the wickets of the inform Kusal Perera, TM Dilshan and Vithanage. Mathews and Dhananjaya tried steadying the innings but once the duo were dismissed the chase appeared doomed. Siriwardana (35 off 18) and Kapugedara (31* off 16) attempted an unlikely rescue but they were always paying catch up with the scoreboard pressure.

While Shehzad, Malik and Umar Akmal scored 46 each, it was their T20 specialist Sohail Tanvir who starred with the ball (3 for 29). Pakistan have already won the Test and ODI series. Now, they cannot lose the T20I series. Join us for the final game of the series on Saturday. Until then, its goodbye and good night.