Sri Lanka won by 37 runs in T20

Sri Lanka put on a brilliant bowling and fielding performance to post a comfortable 37-run victory over Pakistan in their opening Twenty20 international on Friday.

Pakistan was bowled out for 95, its lowest T20 total against Sri Lanka, after restricting the host to 132 for seven in Hambantota.

Sri Lankan pacemen Nuwan Kulasekera, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga and debutant off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake took two wickets apiece after man-of-the-match Thisara Perera scored a crucial 32 not out. Opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scored for Pakistan with 36 while the extras contributed 19 runs, the second-highest of the innings. Umar Akmal (12) was the other batsman to reach double-figures.

Pakistan never recovered after losing two wickets off the first two balls of the innings, with Kulasekera removing skipper Mohammad Hafeez and debutant Shakeel Ansar.

The Sri Lankan bowlers were backed by their fielders, with Perera and Kulasekera each taking a superb catch.

Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir earlier grabbed three big wickets as Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka. He jolted the top order when he dismissed skipper Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in his opening three overs to reduce the host to 31for three. Tanvir finished with three for 12 off four tight overs, his best performance in Twenty20 internationals. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal bagged two wickets for 20 runs.

Teams:

Sri Lanka: M jayawardene(c), T Dilshan, K Sangakkara(wk), D Chandimal, A Mathews, L Thirumane,

K Lokurachichi, T Perera, N Kulasekara, S Senanayake, L Malinga.

Pakistan: M Hafeez(c), A Shehzad, U Akmal, S Malik, K Latif, S Afridi, S Ansar(wk), S Tanvir, S Ajmal,

U Gul, M Sami.

Mini Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka 132/7(20 overs, 6.60 rpo)

T Perera 32*(16) S Tanvir 3/12

L Thirimanne 30(25) S Ajmal 2/20

Pakistan 95 all out(17.4 overs, 5.37 rpo)

A Shehzad 36(42) L Malinga 2/12

U Akmal 12(10) N Kulasekara 2/13

Sri Lanka won by 37 runs.