Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 1st T20I, Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka, 2026 - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

A completely one-sided contest to kick off the three-match T20I series. Pakistan have opened the new year in emphatic style and will be keen to carry this momentum into the remaining two games. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have plenty to address across all departments if they are to mount a comeback in the series. That brings an end to our coverage for today. We’ll be back on Friday with the live coverage of the second T20I. Until then, it’s goodbye from us.

Salman Agha: I wasn't expecting dew because of the weather earlier in the day. There was a lot of dew after the first 5-6 overs of the second innings. I thought 150 was going to be a challenging total looking at the way the ball was holding up in the first innings. But after looking at dew in the second innings, I thought 170-odd was needed. We know what we need to do in the World Cup. We know our roles. I want the team to field well, that's the area we need to improve on. I need to work on playing full tosses, that has become a weakness.

Dasun Shanaka: When we play T20 cricket it (the toss) is vital, setting up total is not easy especially on these surfaces, but no excuses, we didn't get the start we wanted and something we have to address in the coming games. There was a time where we recovered very well, Janith and Hasaranga were going well, but Janith's wicket was crucial, we had to score at least 150 on that track, that's the reason we lost. (if conditions changed in the second innings as they were not able to sustain the pressure) It depends on the approach, we have to hunt more, there was no buzz around the team, other teams come hard at us and we need to respond with the same intensity - particularly in home conditions. We always come up with a plan, we play Thushara because he gets wickets up front even though we have Chameera, the momentum shifted in the powerplay today as he had a bad day.

Shadab Khan | Player of the Match: When you are coming back from an injury, it's always tough to play at the international level. You are starting from zero. Very happy with today's result. Playing in Big Bash helped me. I got confidence in my bowling and batting. I tried to do simple things. The surface was helping me. You have to assess the conditions. The ball was holding a bit so I tried to bowl a little more fuller. As a player you always want to play at the highest level (about the upcoming T20 World Cup). Our team did so well. Mirza and Wasim set the tone for us. It made things easier for us spinners.

22:12 Local Time, 16:42 GMT, 22:12 IST: A commanding all-round performance by Pakistan as they race to a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, executing their plans with clinical precision. From winning the toss to closing out the chase, they controlled the game at every stage. The new-ball pair of Wasim and Salman Mirza struck early, removing Sri Lanka’s openers inside the powerplay and immediately putting the visitors on the back foot. Under sustained pressure, Sri Lanka never found rhythm or stability, with partnerships failing to take shape and wickets tumbling at regular intervals. Their innings slowly fizzled out at a below-par 128 - a total that never looked threatening. Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed led the bowling effort with three wickets each, ensuring there was no late resistance. In reply, Pakistan approached the chase with clear intent, the openers attacking from the outset to seize early momentum. Farhan then provided composure and control through the middle overs as he notched up his fifty to put Pakistan in further control. The visitors lost a few wickets in the middle overs, but got home within 16.4 overs, completing an authoritative win. Stay around for the presentations..