First T20: Hasnain’s historic hat-trick goes in vain

LAHORE: Spirited Sri Lanka dented Pakistan’s shortest version might rather dreadfully by winning the first T20 International of the three-match series with 64 runs here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday night.In front of a moderate crowd cheering and enjoying every ball that the batsman was beaten for or smacked for a four or six, Sri Lanka kept Pakistan horribly quite to its limits allowing them reach 101 runs in 17.3 overs in their chase of 165 for five scored by Sri Lanka.Pakistan’s 19 year old Muhammad Hasnain was the only star of the day for becoming the youngest bowler to claim a hat-trick in Sri Lanka’s incredible fightback.Pakistan had a disdainful start to their chase with just 13 runs on board they were two down. Their star batsman Babar Azam and returning batter Umar Akmal were back to their grove in last two balls of their inning’s second over thrown by Nuwan Pradeep. Whereas the first ball of the third over by Kasun Rajitha produced quite a stir when Ahmed Shahzad survived a review for lbw.With captain Sarfaraz Ahmed came in to hold the other end, that survival of Shahzad short-lived as he was clean bowled by Isuru Udana. Pakistan was then in tatters at 22 for 3 in 4.2 overs and there was no stability afterwards.Sarfaraz, joined in by Iftikhar Ahmed, went into the defensive mode and brought boundaries only on loose balls while sticking to singles and doubles. Their run getting effort was dented with a run out of Iftikhar at 25 (24b 2X4) and team’s 68 for four in 11.3 overs.Struggling to find form Sarfraz (24) could not last long and was bowled by de Silva. At 76 for five a chain of setbacks was developed for Pakistan that saw sixth wicket of Imad Wasim falling at 85, then of Asif Ali at 87, Faheem Ashraf at 96, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Amir at 101.Pardeep and Udana had three wickets each while de Silva had two and Rajitha one in Sir Lanka’s first tour win.Earlier, openers Avishka Fernando and Dhanushka Gunathilaka gave Sri Lanka a brisk start till the latter was trapped leg before by Shadab at his personal 57 in the 10th over. Their partnership lasted for 9.4 overs in which they made 84 runs.Dhanushka faced 58 balls during which he timed eight shots across the ropes and one over it. The time the opening stand was broken, Pakistan team started to find loop holes in the visiting team batting. Their second opener Avishka Fernando became the victim of Shadab’s direct hit run out at his 33 in 34 balls with just three boundaries. Bhanuka Rajapaksa came in to knit Sri Lanka innings but he lasted there for just 22 balls to get 33 with the help of two fours and the same number of sixes before being lbw off Hasnain on his over’s last ball.Hasnain after claiming Rajapaksa’s wicket justified his selection with another two wickets that also earned him a hat-trick. First he got visiting captain Dasun Shanaka and then Shehan Jayasuriya for his third wickets on two straight balls.Brief scores: Sri Lanka 165 for 6 (Gunathilaka 57, Hasnain 3-37) beat Pakistan 101 (Udana 3-11, Pradeep 3-21) by 64 runs.

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