Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat fifties guide Pakistan to 1-0 series lead

With a four-wicket victory in the first T20I in Rawalpindi, Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. Lahiru Udara's 55-ball 91 was eclipsed by Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat's quick half-centuries. Sri Lanka's 182 for 8 came from Udara's 55-ball 91, which included 11 fours and a six. The next best score was 23. Pakistan surpassed Sri Lanka's total with an over and a delivery to spare, thanks to Farhan's 53-ball 89 (10 fours, 4 sixes) and a 29-ball 50 (with 4 fours and 3 sixes) from Sadaqat.

Farhan and Fakhar Zaman eluded a few boundaries as Pakistan's chase got underway. In the second over, Zaman scored three boundaries off Dushmantha Chameera, while Farhan scored fours and sixes off Nuwan Thushara in the subsequent over. An economical over from Eshan Malinga was followed by another expensive over from Chameera, with Farhan and Zaman scoring three fours between them in the fifth over to bring up a brisk half-century stand. Malinga ended the partnership by cutting Zaman's top-edging share. Sadaqat, fresh off two hundreds in the CPL, signalled his intent with a no-look six, followed by another maximum and a four, as he powered Pakistan to 70 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay.

Farhan and Sadaqat continued to test the boundaries as they took Pakistan past 100 before the end of the 10th over as they extended their partnership past 50. Sadaqat struck his third six, going over long on off Dunith Wellalage, before Farhan reached a 33-ball fifty in the same over. After Sadaqat hit a half-century off 28 balls, Farhan hit a six and two fours off Maheesh Theekshana to keep the partnership going into the 90s. Sadaqat, however, fell in the same over and was trapped lbw, preventing the stand from reaching three figures. After that, Chameera took his 100th wicket in a Twenty20 International when he caught Hasan Nawaz on the leg side. However, Pakistan were in the lead with 156 for 3 after 15 overs and only needed 27 more.

After Theekshana got Saim Ayub's wicket in the 16th over and only gave up three runs, the score was 24 runs in 24 balls. Sri Lanka tried to extend their fight with a quiet six-run over from Wellalage, but Farhan rendered that moot by taking 14 off Thushara. Farhan was eventually run out by Thushara, who reduced it to 4 out of 12 balls. Shadab Khan's wicket gave Malinga a chance to change the game, but Khawaja Nafay's six in the same over sealed the deal.

Prior to getting Kusal Mendis caught at third man, Naseem Shah struggled for control in the first over after Sri Lanka chose to bat. He bowled six wides. It wasn't the best of starts for Sri Lanka as only a couple of boundaries came in the first four overs, and Mohammad Imran Randhawa also had Kamil Mishara top-edging a pull. Lahiru Udara and Kamindu Mendis then managed a few fours to take Sri Lanka to 45 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay. Kamindu was caught at long off in Ayub's over in the 10th over, ending Udara and Kamindu's quick 60-run partnership. Sri Lanka reached 83 for 3 at the halfway point thanks to a boundary by Udara in the same over.

Sahan Arachchige was the next to leave, caught at backward point off Randhawa, despite the fact that Udara was hitting well at one end. Udara went on to bring up a 32-ball fifty while Dasun Shanaka struggled to get going at the other end. He finally hit his stride with a six against Shadab, despite Nawaz's best efforts to keep the ball in play at the deep. Sri Lanka moved to 132 for 4 when Udara went after Razaullah, scoring sixes and fours in the 15th over and four more byes.

Shanaka and Udara added 57, with the former also striking a six off Shadab before getting out to the spinner on 18. Sri Lanka reached 150 in the 17th over, and when Naseem returned for his third over, he gave up five more wides. Before Naseem bowled down the leg side for the third time in the game and gave up five wides, Udara hit a four off Abrar Ahmed. He paid it back by bowling Wellalage and getting Udara caught at long on. Maheesh Theekshana was bowled out by Razaullah in the final over, but Chameera got a boundary to get Sri Lanka past 180.