Pakistan, the top team in the T20 rankings, lost to the eighth-ranked team Sri Lanka, comprising more than half the young players, lost by 64 runs.
Pakistan’s new manager Misbah-ul-Haq, who has decided to include two former players Ahmed Shehzad and Omar Akmal on the team, has cost Pakistan dearly.
Both players were reinstated to the domestic team for good performance in domestic cricket, but both disappointed the cricket fans once again.
Pakistan’s innings started disastrously. Babar Azam and Ahmed Shehzad started the innings from Pakistan.
Babar Azam was the first to be dismissed after which Omar Akmal came into play and he was dismissed without scoring any runs. After that Ahmed Shehzad also returned the pavilion with only four runs.
Iftikhar Ahmed had good innings that ended on a very stupid run-out. Pakistan’s two players were on the same side when the wickets were dropped on the other side of the pitch. Iftikhar scored 25 runs.
After that, the Sarfraz who were unable to play openly returned out. After that, Imad Wasim came and went. It was Pakistan’s sixth wicket.
After Emad, Asif Ali and Fahim Ashraf were out and the story is not worth mentioning.
Earlier, Mohammad Hasanin, a home-debater from Pakistan, got a hat-trick in his second Twenty20 match.
Sri Lanka opener Dineshka Gunthalaka gave Sri Lanka a good start, scoring 57 runs. Their partner Oshika Fernando was leading the way with 33 runs.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and decided to field first.
On the eve of the toss, Sarfraz Ahmed said that he had decided to bowl first because of the possibility of falling in the second innings. Sri Lankan captain Dasan Shanaka, on the other hand, said he would try to score at least 170 runs in the first game.
Apart from Captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan’s Babar Azam, Ahmed Shehzad, Iftikhar Ahmed, Omar Akmal, Fahim Ashraf, Asif Ali, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Emad Wasim and Mohammad Hasan are included in the squad for the match.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 15.6 lbw ☝️🏼
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 5, 2019
Dasun Shanaka 18.1 ☝️🏼
Shehan Jayasuriya, 18.2 🎩
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, meet the new hat-trick hero of Pakistan, @MHasnainPak ⚡️#PAKvSL LIVE ▶️ https://t.co/CpcfbLfNGM | @TheRealPCB_Live pic.twitter.com/NhjIG0DKa1
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s team comprises Dasan Shanaka (captain), Manud Bhanuka, Vinod Hisarranga, Nawan Pradip, Oshika Fernando, Dineshka Gnathlaka, Sheehan J. Surya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kasan Rajitha, Laxan Sandakan and Asoro Adana.
Earlier, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in a one-day series played in Karachi between the two teams.
Pakistan is currently ranked number one in the T20 international rankings and has a very good record in the T20 tournament against Sri Lanka.
In the 18 T20 matches played between the two teams so far, Pakistan have suffered 15 wins and only three defeats.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are ranked eighth in the world rankings and many players, including their Twenty20 captain Listh Malanga, did not support his visit to Pakistan.
Since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan in 2009, international teams have long refused to visit Pakistan.
However, in recent years, Sri Lanka, West Indies and World XI teams have come to Lahore to play T20 matches. However, since 2009, no international team has visited Pakistan with its entire squad.