Sahibzada Farhan leads Pakistan to T20 win over Sri Lanka

Rawalpindi witnessed a thrilling T20 international match on Friday as Pakistan's captain, Sahibzada Farhan, delivered a charismatic performance to secure a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka. The 25-year-old batsman, who took over the captaincy last month, smashed a valiant 89 off 53 balls, including 10 fours and four sixes, chasing down Sri Lanka's imposing total of 183 in just 18.5 overs. This win gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Sri Lanka posted 182-8 in their chase after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Opener Lahiru Udara, who established the new highest T20 score by a Sri Lankan against Pakistan, smashed 91 off 55 balls, including four sixes. Farhan and Fakhar Zaman put on a robust start of 54-0 in five overs, as Sri Lanka's attack struggled to contain the flow of runs. Zaman added 21 off 13 balls, while Maaz Sadaqat, Sherfane Rutherford contributed significant support with their aggressive strokes.

As Pakistan approached their target, Farhan was dismissed caught in the deep, but the momentum was not affected. Udara's partnership with Kamindu Mendis (23) after a shaky start helped Sri Lanka recover from 18-2. Dasun Shanaka contributed 57 runs off 40 balls in Sri Lanka's second-wicket stand with Udara, while Pakistan's bowlers Naseem Shah (3-36) and Mohammad Imran (2-21) restricted the visitors to a manageable total. The remaining two matches in the series are scheduled for Sunday and Tuesday in Rawalpindi.