Pakistan produced a commanding all-round display to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the first T20I at Dambulla, wrapping up the chase with 20 balls in hand and taking a 1–0 lead in the series.
Asked to bat first on a surface that had stayed under covers due to recent rain, Sri Lanka struggled from the outset. Pakistan’s new-ball pair, Salman Mirza and Mohammad Wasim Jr, exploited the tacky pitch with disciplined lines and lengths, making run-scoring difficult.
The introduction of Shadab Khan, playing his first match for Pakistan since June 2025, tightened the screws further. Shadab struck twice in his first over, trapping Kusal Mendis lbw and then dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva with a googly that found the edge.
He extracted sharp turn at times and finished with impressive figures of 2 for 25 from four overs, underlining a successful return.
Pakistan’s reply was clinical and aggressive. Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan immediately put the home attack under pressure. Ayub launched Maheesh Theekshana for an early six, and Farhan hammered Nuwan Thushara for back-to-back maximums, as Pakistan raced to 59 for 0 in 5.5 overs. Ayub fell for a lively 24, bowled by Theekshana, but the platform was firmly set.
Farhan continued to dominate the seamers and reached his half-century from 35 balls, ensuring the required rate never became an issue.
There was a brief stutter when Pakistan lost three wickets for 12 runs around the 12th over mark, but with the target small and plenty of deliveries remaining, the result was never truly in doubt.
Shadab then capped his day with a composed 18 not out off 12 balls, calmly steering Pakistan to the finish line. His impact with both ball and bat earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.