Pakistan achieved a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka in the first T20I match played today at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla. Pakistan won by six wickets, completing the chase at 129/4 in just 16.4 overs.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha won the toss and chose to bowl first. His decision proved correct as Pakistan’s bowlers performed well to limit Sri Lanka to just 128 runs in 19.2 overs. Shadab Khan was the star performer, taking two wickets with his spin bowling, including important dismissals of Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva.
Sri Lanka struggled throughout their innings, losing wickets regularly. Salman Mirza bowled a devastating over, picking up two wickets while giving away just one run, removing both captain Dasun Shanaka and Dushmantha Chameera.
Chasing the small target, Pakistan made a strong start to their innings. Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub gave Pakistan a confident start, with the team reaching 21 without loss early on. Despite losing a few wickets during the chase, Pakistan never looked in trouble and comfortably reached their target with plenty of overs remaining.
This win gives Pakistan important preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in February. Both teams are using this three-match series to finalize their squads before the big tournament. The second T20I will be played on January 9.
