Pakistan continue impressive run, beat SL by 7 wickets in first T20

Led by pacer Hasan Ali's career-best 3-23, Pakistan continued its impressive run of form to beat new-look Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first Twenty20 international on Thursday.

Abu Dhabi: Led by pacer Hasan Ali's career-best 3-23, Pakistan continued its impressive run of form to beat new-look Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first Twenty20 international on Thursday.

Sri Lanka, which lost the ODI series 5-0 with Ali claiming 14 wickets, was bowled out for 102 in 18.3 overs after Pakistan won the toss. Offspinner Mohammad Hafeez (2-10) and left-arm fast bowler Usman Shinwari (2-20) were also among Pakistan's wicket-takers.

Shoaib Malik (42 not out) and Mohammad Hafeez (25 not out) comfortably took the home team to 103-3 with 16 balls to spare.

Pakistan leads the three-match series 1-0.

Sri Lanka had to shuffle its Twenty20 squad under new captain Thisara Perera after regular captain Upul Tharanga was among at least four cricketers who pulled out of the third T20 match at Lahore on Sunday.

But Sri Lanka's wretched batting continued after being put into bat, with eight newcomers in the side.

The top order crumbled against pace and spin before Ali recorded his best figures in Twenty20 internationals to bowl out the visitors in the 19th over.

Dilshan Munaweera was clean bowled by leftarm spinner Imad Wasim off the third delivery of the match and Danushka Gunathilaka (18) was caught behind to left-arm fast bowler Usman Shinwari.

Sadeera Samarawickrama (23) was the joint top scorer before falling to seamer Faheem Ashraf before offspinner Mohammad Hafeez bowled a double-wicket maiden over.

Mahela Udawatte, playing his first international match in eight years, was lbw off Hafeez's first ball and two balls later Dasun Shanaka was beaten in the flight and got stumped.

Ali then claimed three of the last four wickets to wrap up the innings with Shinwari returning to have Perera (6) top edge a short delivery.

Seekkuge Prasanna remained unbeaten on 23 with two sixes and his run-a-ball knock enabled Sri Lanka to cross the 100-run mark.

Pakistan had some early jitters at 18-2 when it lost opener Fakhar Zaman (6) and Babar Azam (1). But Malik dominated the spinners and seamers on a slow wicket to hit four boundaries in his 31-ball unbeaten knock as Pakistan won in 17.2 overs.

The second match is at the same venue on Friday.