Pakistan win a T20 thriller against Sri Lanka

Pakistan had already won the Test and ODI series and capped the Sri Lanka rubber on Saturday by displaying their brighter dimension of unpredictability to win the second T20 against the Islanders in Colombo.

Pakistan had also won the preceding Test series 2-1 and clinched the one-dayers 3-2 in the island nation.

Now the pumped-up Pakistan – given the manner they have fared so far on the tour – can surely end the tour with victory on Saturday. The usually accurate left-arm seamer, Man of the Match in the first game, was put to the sword by the Sri Lankan batsmen and finished with an unflattering 1 for 44 in four overs.

Tourists scored victories in all three formats played against home team in concluded series.

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Sri Lanka (from): Lasith Malinga (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kithruwan Vithanage, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Thisara Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Kulasekara, Binura Fernando, Chaturanga de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana.

Malik and Akmal plundered 81 runs in 7.3 overs and took Pakistan past the 150-mark which made it a hard chase for the hosts.

Buoyed by the reversal of fortunes, Ali and Wasim followed their captain’s lead, getting Pakistan over the line, much to Sri Lanka’s frustrations.

The India-based TEN Sports network provides a streaming link here for the Second Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan T20 global. With the inclusion of wicketkeeping batsmen Sarfraz and Mohammed Rizwan, Pakistan has been able to increase the tempo of the game at will. Sarfraz is a special talent when it comes to playing aggressive cricket with a positive intent, giving impetus to the innings on many occasions during the series against Sri Lanka.

Kapugedera hit four sixes and two boundaries in 26 balls.

The captain praises the team management’s role in the recent success of the team. If a gesture comes from them I will be very happy. Pakistan will be encouraged that they have done all this with a somewhat inexperienced side. Pramod Ananth believes, Malinga is well past his prime and needs to step aside for other players to make their mark.

Rookie Jayasuriya, a 23-year-old left-hander, smashed three fours and two sixes in his 32-ball 40, while Kapugedera smacked an unbeaten 48 off 25 deliveries that contained four sixes. He said that it will be a tough one to digest while defending his move to bowl Shehan Jayasuriya, whose 21-run over helped Pakistan turn the tide.