Sri Lanka 177 for 4 (Dulani 101*, Athapaththu 39, Sandhu 2-25) beat Pakistan 176 for 7 (Zulfiqar 63, Muneeba 42, Dilhari 2-36) by six wickets
Imesha Dulani’s exceptional 101 not out off 64 deliveries sent Sri Lanka galloping to their target of 177 with an over to spare, as Sri Lanka’s top order trumped a spirited Pakistan top-order performance. Dulani’s hundred was the fifth ever for Sri Lanka in T20Is, and was the first by a woman not named Chamari Athapaththu. With captain Athapaththu herself contributing 39 off 22, Dulani remained at the crease handing Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Pakistan will feel they let the match slip, having dominated their batting powerplay. They hit 64 runs for no loss in their first six overs, with Muneeba Ali crashing 41 off 22 during the fielding restrictions. Although she would be out for 42 off 24 soon after the powerplay ended, opening partner Shawaal Zulfiqar took the game by the scruff and hit 63 off 41 balls, batting into the 16th over. With smaller contributions from the middle order, Pakistan made a commanding 176 for 7, at a ground at which 160 has often been a winning score in WT20Is.
Neither side had spectacular bowling performances, with right-arm spinner Kaveesha Dilhari claiming 2 for 36 for Sri Lanka, while left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu took 2 for 25 for Pakistan. Seamers tended not to do well in this match, particularly during the powerplay, in which no wickets fell for either side.
If Dulani hadn’t already cemented a position in Sri Lanka’s top three, this innings will recommend her better than any before. She hit only one six in her innings, but cracked 17 fours. Dulani began her assault in the third over, crashing Humna Bilal for four fours. Athapaththu was still the dominant figure in the powerplay, hitting 37 off 19. But Dulani wasn’t lagging far behind making 27 off 17 for herself.
Athapaththu was dismissed soon after – the first of Sandhu’s victims. And although Sri Lanka continued to lose wickets through the middle period, Dulani guided her side through these difficulties, showing deference to Sandhu in particular, but scoring more freely off the other bowlers. At no stage was required rate a concern, given Sri Lanka had scored at 11.16 in the powerplay.
When Dulani completed her hundred off the 63rd ball she faced, she became just the fourth Sri Lanka woman to move to triple figures in across formats. There is Athapaththu, of course, but the other centurions – Vishmi Gunaratne, and Harshitha Samarawickrama – are both in this Sri Lanka top five, and have plenty of cricket ahead of them. Dulani herself is 24.
Pakistan will be pleased with their own top order, but having gone into the final five overs at 127 for 2, might have hoped for more in their last five than the 49 they got. They had lost the ODI series 2-1, and now must win both remaining T20 matches if they are to go home with some silverware.