RAWALPINDI: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 82 runs in Sunday’s second Twenty20 International (T20I) at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, taking a 2-0 series lead.
Maaz Sadaqat scored 96, while Mohammad Imran took three wickets for 11 in four overs. Their performances helped Pakistan secure the series with one match remaining.
Pakistan finished at 215-3 after Sri Lanka chose to field. Chasing 216, the visitors finished their 20 overs on 133-7.
Salman Mirza removed opener Lahiru Udara for five runs in the first over. Imran then dismissed Sineth Jayawardena during the powerplay as Pakistan made early inroads into Sri Lanka’s batting.
Captain Kusal Mendis contributed nine runs. Sri Lanka slipped to 74-6 after 11.5 overs before Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Maheesh Theekshana added 50 runs for the seventh wicket.
Mirza broke their partnership in the penultimate over, dismissing Wickramasinghe for 29 from 24 balls. Theekshana remained unbeaten on 32 from 26 deliveries, including four boundaries.
Mirza finished with two wickets, while Saim Ayub and Shadab Khan took one apiece.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan and Sadaqat shared an 88-run second-wicket partnership. Farhan scored 73 from 44 balls, striking four fours and five sixes.
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Dasun Shanaka dismissed Farhan with Pakistan at 143-2 after 14.5 overs. Sadaqat continued until Eshan Malinga removed him on the innings’ final delivery, four runs short of a century.
Sadaqat’s 51-ball innings included six fours and seven sixes.
Hasan Nawaz finished unbeaten on 19 from nine balls, with a four and a six. He joined Sadaqat after Farhan’s departure.
Farhan and opener Fakhar Zaman had put on 55 runs for the first wicket in 6.5 overs. Zaman struck four boundaries in his 22 from 17 balls. Theekshana dismissed him, with Kamindu Mendis taking the catch.
Malinga, Theekshana and Shanaka each took one wicket for Sri Lanka. Pakistan and Sri Lanka meet in the third T20I at the same venue on Tuesday.
