Tuba, Anam guide Pakistan to series lead in Karachi low-scorer

The spinners had a lead role to play at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday (May 24) as Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka with a six-wicket victory. Debutant Tuba Hassan bagged 3 for 8 from her four overs while slow left-armer Anam Amin picked up 3 for 21 from her four, as Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to 106/8. Nida Dar top-scored in the chase, striking an unbeaten 36 off 27, as Pakistan got over the line in the 19th over.

In what is Sri Lanka's first T20 bilateral series in more than two years, Gull Feroza fell in the first over of the chase, out lbw to Sugandika Kumari without scoring. A 29-run partnership between Iram Javed and Muneeba Ali ensued, keeping Pakistan on track. The two set batters, however, were both dismissed on 18, leaving Pakistan at 45/3 in the ninth over.

A watchful stand between Bismah Maroof and Dar got Pakistan on the right course. Maroof was going at less than a run a ball while Dar was on 7 off 11 at one stage. But they had the luxury of batting out a few dots because of the lack of scoreboard pressure. Dar eventually got going, scoring a boundary apiece off Inoka Ranaweera and Chamari Athapaththu while Maroof too struck a couple of fours before getting out to Oshadi Ranasinghe for a 28-ball 32, which ended a 51-run stand. Dar was there till the end, scoring a six off Oshadi Ranasinghe before taking a couple and a single as Pakistan won with 10 deliveries to spare.

Earlier, the left-arm spin and right-arm wrist spin combo of Amin and Hassan played a key role in restricting Sri Lanka to a below par total after the visitors opted to bat. Opening the bowling, Amin struck in her first two overs to dismiss the openers. Having hit a boundary, Hasini Perera was out caught and bowled in the first over while the experienced Athapaththu was trapped leg-before soon after striking a four.

A 38-run partnership between Anushka Sanjeewani and Harshitha Madavi, highest for the innings, promised Sri Lanka the foundation for a good total. They mostly dealt in singles and twos before the two batters struck three fours between them off Aiman Anwer in the ninth over. but Sanjeewani was dismissed by Hassan in her first over, and the 21-year-old leggie also sent the other set batter - Madavi - in her next over. With Kavisha Dilhari and Oshadi Ranasinghe falling cheaply, the latter becoming Amin's third wicket, Sri Lanka slipped to 69/6. Nilakshi de Silva (25 off 22) and Ama Kanchana (12* off 16) came up with useful contributions that helped Sri Lanka past 100 even as Aiman Anwer picked up a couple of wickets.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 106/8 in 20 overs (Nilakshi de Silva 25, Harshitha Madavi 25; Tuba Hassan 3-8, Anam Amin 3-21) lost to Pakistan 107/4 in 18.2. overs (Nida Dar 36*, Bismah Maroof 28; Oshadi Ranasinghe 2-20) by 6 wickets.