Web Desk(National Times)- Lahiru Udara struck a superb 91 off 55 balls to lift Sri Lanka to 182-8 after they elected to bat in the opening match of the three-game Twenty20 International series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The batter smashed 11 fours and a six to anchor the innings, recovering from an early collapse as Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah claimed three wickets. Sri Lanka’s total was boosted by 29 extras, including 18 wides, as the hosts struggled to contain the scoring.
Sri Lanka made a shaky start, losing captain Kusal Mendis for one in the first over before Kamil Mishara departed for six off 13 balls, leaving the visitors at 18-2 in the fourth over. Debutant Mohammad Imran accounted for Mishara, while Naseem removed Kusal to put Pakistan on top.
The innings gathered momentum in the powerplay, with Sri Lanka reaching 52-2 before Kamindu Mendis joined Udara in a counter-attacking stand. The pair took 14 runs off Shadab Khan’s first over after the fielding restrictions were lifted, before bringing up their 50-run partnership off just 33 balls in the following over.
Kamindu struck four boundaries in his 18-ball 23, including a reverse-sweep against spinner Abrar Ahmed, but fell at 78 in the 10th over after Saim Ayub lured him into a false shot. Fakhar Zaman took the catch at long-off.
Sri Lanka suffered another setback two balls later when Sahan Arachchige was dismissed for one, caught by a flying Shadab brilliantly at point off Imran, leaving the score at 83-4.
Udara, however, continued to counterattack, bringing up his maiden T20I half-century off 32 balls in the 12th over. He followed it with a sweep for four and added three more off the next delivery to take Sri Lanka past the 100-run mark before driving Abrar through the covers for another boundary.
Dasun Shanaka provided further impetus with two sixes in his 15-ball 18. One sailed over the boundary after Hasan Nawaz failed to complete the fielding effort, while the other came off Shadab in the 16th over. Shanaka was dismissed later in the same over, caught by Fakhar, with Sri Lanka at 140-5.
Pakistan were handed a reprieve when Udara, on 77, skied an attempted big hit against Abrar, only for the spinner to misjudge the catch. The missed opportunity proved costly as Udara continued to score freely.
Naseem then bowled Dunith Wellalage for five in the 19th over, but Udara responded with a boundary off a ramp shot before his innings ended on 91, caught by Hasan at long-on off Naseem on the final ball of the over. He fell nine runs short of a century, with Sri Lanka at 172-7.
Naseem finished with 3-36 from four overs, while Imran returned 2-21 from his full quota. Saim and Shadab claimed one wicket apiece, with Shadab conceding 33 runs in three overs. Abrar went wicketless despite giving away 36 runs in four overs.
Razaullah, meanwhile, claimed his maiden T20I wicket in the final over, dismissing Maheesh Theekshana for one. Dushmantha Chameera struck a boundary off a free hit and finished unbeaten on six off three balls.
Despite Udara’s innings providing the backbone of the total, Pakistan’s late strikes restricted Sri Lanka to 50 runs in the final five overs while picking up four wickets.
